Trick-or-treat safety tips
As young children prepare for Halloween night, it is important to stay safe while trick-or-treating. Check out these tips before you go out with your children.
Choosing your costume
When thinking about costumes, consider the color, material and accessories. Though some costumes look great, they could be dangerous.
Choose bright-colored costumes that make it easier for cars to spot your kids at night. If you have costumes with darker colors, wear reflectors, glow-in-the-dark paint or bright accessories.
Be careful with masks as they can make it difficult for your child to see or breathe. Try skipping the mask or use non-toxic make-up instead.
Make sure the costume is an appropriate length. Long costumes that drag on the ground could be dangerous. If the costume is too long, hem it to avoid tripping.
Finally, you and your child will be doing plenty of walking, so wear comfortable shoes.
Planning your route
Map out a route before you go trick-or-treating, and stick with the paths that you and your child know. This avoids the chances of getting lost.
When you go out, walk on sidewalks or edge of the road toward oncoming traffic. You should always pay attention to your surroundings including street signs, crosswalks and driveways. Keep to well-lit neighborhoods and carry a flashlight or other type of lighting. More importantly, only visit homes welcoming trick-or-treaters. If the home looks vacant, don’t visit; porch lights or signs will guide you to the homes with candy. Never enter a home to accept candy.
If you must drive, concentrate, drive slowly, and take extra time to watch out for children. It is important to turn your headlights on earlier to spot children.
Choosing your buddy
Never go trick-or-treating alone. If your children are older, they may not want their parent around. Most tips suggest children under 12 should be accompanied by a parent, grandparent or guardian. If your child is going without you, make sure he or she is with a group of friends and you know their route before they go.
Check your child’s candy
Be sure to sort through your child’s candy at the end of the night. Throw away any candy that is not factory-made and sealed, or appears to be opened. More importantly, don’t eat homemade snacks from strangers. Before giving any candy to your child, look at the ingredients to avoid any allergic reactions or choking dangers.
These tricks also apply if you’re planning on handing out candy on Halloween. Always pay attention to the types of candy you’re giving trick-or-treaters. For example, consider handing out regular M&Ms instead of the peanut ones to prevent triggering peanut allergies.
Follow these tips and tricks and you’ll have a fun but safe Halloween!
The information in this article was obtained from various sources not associated with Adirondack Bank. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. Adirondack Bank is not responsible for, and does not endorse or approve, either implicitly or explicitly, the information provided or the content of any third-party sites that might be hyperlinked from this page. The information is not intended to replace manuals, instructions or information provided by a manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional, or to affect coverage under any applicable insurance policy. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. Adirondack Bank makes no guarantees of results from use of this information.
