It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Between the candy and the costumes, Halloween is the one night where you can be whoever you want to be! At the end of the day, we all want to enjoy this spooky holiday. But in the excitement, we sometimes forget how to stay safe through all the tricks and treats. With that in mind, here are isure’s Halloween safety tips to stay safe while on the road and when trick-or-treating this year.
Halloween safety tips for drivers
When you are driving around on Halloween at night, it is so important to remain diligent and alert. There are kids and their families walking on the streets, and they can sometimes be hard to spot. With that in mind, make sure to take your time, and drive below the speed limit, especially in residential areas.
- Drive with smarts, not speed: It is always extremely important to always be aware of your surroundings when driving at night, but never is this more true than on Halloween night. With trick-or-treaters walking on the streets, people can be very hard to spot when on the road. With that in mind, make sure to take it slow. Allow for extra time to get where you are going. Do not speed!
- Most trick-or-treating takes place between 6:00-9:00 p.m., so if you can avoid driving during that time, even better.
- Pay extra attention! Kids are excited and can dart across the road in search of houses giving out the best candy. Be alert of your surroundings.
- As always, never text or use smartphones while driving.
Halloween safety tips for trick-or-treaters
- Give your children a flashlight. It will not only help them see where they are going, but more importantly, help them be seen by drivers.
- Where possible, walk on sidewalks. If there is no sidewalk available, walk as close to the side of the road as possible.
- Consider makeup instead of a mask. Masks can obstruct your child’s vision.
- If you must use a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough to not affect your child’s ability to see, and have them push the mask off their face while walking.
- If your child’s costume is dark in colour, use some reflective tape so drivers can see them.
- If your child is young, go out with them. Get into the fun by dressing up because someday, they will want to go out on their own.
- If your child is going out without you, make sure they are with a group of responsible friends. Remind them to be safe and mindful of their surroundings.
- Plan your child’s trick-or-treating route. Keep it close to home and to areas you are familiar with. Set a curfew for added safety measures!
- Remind your child to only visit houses that are well-lit, and to never go inside.
- Remind them to save the treat-eating for when they get home. Inspect all of their candy and chocolates and dispose of any treats with damaged packaging, as well as any homemade or unpacked treats (unless you know they are from a safe source).
Safety tips for adults – Don’t drink and drive!
- Halloween isn’t just for kids. Heading out for some grown-up fun? If you are going to consume alcohol for the spooky festivities, be sure to have a designated driver or arrange for an Uber home.
- If you are going to be out for the night, make sure you turn on your home alarm and let your neighbours know you’ll be out. Halloween can be a prime time of year for mischief and burglary.
Halloween safety tips for homeowners
- Only hand out commercially-packaged treats.
- When carving a pumpkin, consider using a pumpkin carving knife, and always have an adult supervise.
- Avoid using candles to light your jack-o-lantern, as they can be a fire hazard. Use a battery-powered light in your pumpkins.
- Keep your pets away from the front porch.
- Keep your home well-lit so visitors have a clear and safe path to your front door.
