Halloween Safety Tips

Keep the fun in Halloween and your trick-or-treater safe! Consider these safety tips as you make your way through the neighborhood or greet candy-seeking little ones at your door.

For Trick-or-Treaters

  • Walk, don't run
  • Carry a flashlight
  • Stay on sidewalks and obey traffic signals
  • Go in groups, with friends or family members and stay in familiar neighborhoods
  • Don't cut across yards or driveways
  • Wear a watch you can read in the dark
  • Make sure costumes don't drag on the ground
  • Shoes should fit (even if they don't go with your costume)
  • Avoid wearing masks while walking from house to house
  • Walk on the left side of the road facing traffic (if there isn't a sidewalk)
  • Wear clothing with reflective markings or tape
  • Approach only houses that are lit
  • Stay away from and don't pet animals you don't know
TrickorTreater

For Parents

  • Encourage your child to eat dinner before setting out
  • Ideally, young children of any age should be accompanied by an adult
  • If your children go on their own, be sure they wear a watch, preferably one that can be read in the dark
  • If you buy a costume, look for one made of flame-retardant material
  • Older children should know where to reach you and when to be home
  • You should know where they're going
  • Children should bring their candy home to be inspected before consuming anything
  • Look at the wrapping carefully and toss out anything that looks suspicious

For Homeowners

  • Make sure your yard is clear of such things as ladders, hoses, dog leashes and flower pots that can trip the young ones
  • Pets get frightened on Halloween. Put them up to protect them from cars or inadvertently biting a trick-or-treater
  • Battery powered jack o'lantern candles are preferable to a real flame
  • If you do use candles, place the pumpkin well away from where trick-or-treaters will be walking or standing
  • Make sure paper or cloth yard decorations won't be blown into a flaming candle
  • Healthy food alternatives for trick-or-treaters include packages of low-fat crackers with cheese or peanut butter filling, single-serve boxes of cereal, packaged fruit rolls, mini boxes of raisins and single-serve packets of low-fat popcorn that can be microwaved later
    Non-food treats:
    • Plastic rings
    • Pencils
    • Stickers
    • Erasers
    • Coins