What can I do to ensure my children and their friends are safe on Halloween night?
This article was originally published by The Hamilton Spectator.
Q: What can I do to ensure my children and their friends are safe on Halloween night?
A: With children gearing up for a night full of trick-or-treating, there are a number of steps we as parents can take to ensure for the safety of our small ghouls and goblin:
- Ensure your child’s costume fits well to minimize the risk of tripping;
- Provide your child with a lightweight flashlight to carry while walking;
- Remove any tripping hazards from your porches, walkways, driveways and lawns;
- Keep your external property well lit;
- Instruct your children to walk between houses and not to run;
- Tell your children to only visit well-lit homes and to stay within a group;
- Add reflective tape on costumes so they are easy to spot by drivers;
- Instruct your children to look both ways before crossing the street and cross at the lights using crosswalks wherever possible;
- Avoid open flames such as candles and jack-o-lanterns in front of doorways and walkways where they may come into contact with children’s flammable costumes;
- Keep your dogs indoors and away from trick-or-treaters;
Remember that you are responsible for keeping your property safe for visiting trick-or-treaters. Accidents do happen, but following some basic safety tips can keep Halloween safe and fun for all.
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