How to keep your little ghouls & goblins safe on Halloween
MIAMI - Authorities across South Florida are urging trick-or-treaters and their parents to take the appropriate safety precautions before heading out to collect candy on Thursday.
Here are some tips to ensure a happy and safe Halloween:
- Make sure that children are always accompanied by an adult: There's no substitute for direct and constant safety supervision.
- Plan your trick-or-treating so that your route is completed before dark.
- If you must trick-or-treat after dark, help ensure that everyone can be seen by using flashlights or glow sticks.
- Never use candles or lanterns with open flames.
- Be traffic alert: Stay on sidewalks, walk facing traffic, and cross streets only at intersections.
- If you are driving on Halloween night, be on the lookout for trick-or-treaters. Use extreme caution and drive slowly.
- Trick-or-treat in a group and stay together: Only approach houses that have outside lights on. Be aware of your surroundings and trick-or-treat in familiar, well-lit areas.
- Make sure that everyone can easily be seen in low light: Apply stripes of reflective tape across the front and the back of children's costumes and adults' clothing, and wear costumes that are brightly colored.
- Costumes should be completely flame-retardant: This includes wigs, beards, and capes.
- Safety first: Avoid masks that restrict a child's view or make it difficult to breathe.
- Make sure that costumes fit properly: Loose or long costumes may cause children to trip over or catch on things such as bushes and fences.
- Do not allow children to carry any sharp objects: Use props that are pliable and soft in order to avoid injury.
- Make sure that trick-or-treaters always have one hand free so they can catch themselves if they fall. Use treat bags that can be carried over one shoulder instead of in both hands.
- Children should never eat any treats until an adult has inspected all the candy: Throw away any homemade treats or anything that's not in a sealed wrapper.
- If your child suffers from any food allergies, check the packaging for contents that may be adverse to his/her health.
You may be wondering if there are any sex offenders along your trick-or-treating route. You can always check with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) which keeps an updated database with this information.
