10 Tips to Trick or Treat Safely
Trick-or-treating is a fun event that many children look forward to each year. Dressing up in a crazy costume and scoring loads of candy can seem like a dream come true to your little one. To have the best experience possible, it’s important to follow certain safety guidelines.
Here are 10 tips to trick-or-treat safely this Halloween.
Go in Groups
There should always be an adult present with children who are trick-or-treating, but adding even more friends to the fun can up your level of safety even more. As the old saying goes, there is safety in numbers. A large group is easier to see walking down the sidewalk. Also, groups are not ideal targets for those with nefarious intentions, so you’ll be safer with your buddies.
Location is Key
When choosing a neighborhood to trick-or-treat in, look for large neighborhoods that close to traffic during prime trick or treating times, typically between 5:30 and 9:30 pm. Another important element that can help keep trick-or-treaters safe is the presence of sidewalks.
Reflective Tape
Add reflective tape to costumes and treat bags for maximum visibility. Make sure to add the tape to each side of the costume to account for cars coming in both directions.
Go for the Glow
Give children glow sticks to light their way from house to house. You can purchase these inexpensively at most dollar stores. Besides helping children see where they are going, this also adds an extra layer of visibility to any cars going by.
Disconnect the Tech
If your trick-or-treater has a mobile device, make sure they aren’t using it while walking from house to house. This distraction can put them at risk for tripping hazards. Worse, it could keep them from noticing oncoming traffic. Take those selfies at the door, not while walking down the sidewalk.
Forego the Weapons
Toy weapons can look hyper-realistic these days and may be mistaken for the real thing. To avoid confusion, the safest course of action is to avoid toy weapons altogether. If you absolutely must have a weapon to make your costume complete, make sure it is obvious that the weapon is a toy. Using bright colors and making weapons oversized can help with this.
Perfect Fit
When choosing a costume, look for a snug fit. Costumes that are too long may get stepped on and cause falls. In addition, make sure that masks fit well also. Masks that don’t fit properly can block your trick-or-treater’s vision. Face paint is a fun alternative that looks great and leaves your vision intact.
Opt for Individually Wrapped
When sorting through your haul after a successful night of trick-or-treating, toss any treats that aren’t individually wrapped. Only accept homemade treats from people you know and trust. You may lose a bit of your candy haul, but you will gain peace of mind. Better safe than sorry.
Remove Choking Hazards
Depending on the age of your child, you will want to make sure you are removing all choking hazards from their treat bags before allowing them to dig in. Hard candy and chewing gum can be especially problematic for children under the age of 5.
Defensive Driving
If you are driving your trick-or-treaters from house to house instead of walking, make sure to stay alert. You should never be texting and driving, but be careful about more socially acceptable distractions such as eating or changing the radio station while driving. Appoint a car DJ to sit in the front seat and change tunes for you.
