As a child, Halloween was always one of my very favorite holidays of the entire year. The crisp fall air, and the leaves changing colors on all of the large trees in the neighborhood were pleasant reminders that Halloween was coming soon! Time to select a costume, get ready for a fun party (or two), and most important; time to go trick-or-treating and fill my pillowcase with all different types of candy! My only concern at the time was to make sure to get enough of that delicious junk food treat to last me until the following year. Despite my best efforts, I was never able to make that happen...
With all of the activity we see on Halloween, especially from 5:00-9:00 p.m., it’s important to remember that extra care must be taken to protect all of those costume-clad children that are roaming our streets and neighborhoods. Let’s discuss some good strategies for maintaining safety in two key Halloween activities: safety while walking, and safety while driving.
Walking safely begins long before we actually hit the streets. Believe it or not, it begins when we select that costume that we will wear when we head out the door! Some things to remember include:
• Make sure the costume fits correctly, in order to prevent tripping and falling.
• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
• Choose face paint or makeup when possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and BE seen by drivers.
• As a general rule, children under the age of 12 should have adult supervision.
Now that it’s time to go out and have some fun, let’s look at the best ways to move through the night while on foot:
• First, PUT DOWN the electronic devices! Keep your head up at all times.
• Walk, don’t run, across streets.
• Only cross streets at intersections, and obey any traffic signals in place.
• Look left, right, then left again. Keep looking as you cross!
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths if available. If not, walk facing traffic, as far to the left as possible.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Drivers should exercise the utmost care while driving on Halloween night, especially in residential areas. This should go without saying, but every year children are injured in vehicle vs. pedestrian collisions on Halloween. It’s best to avoid driving altogether during the peak hours of trick or treating, but if you do find yourself behind the wheel, remember these very important tips:
• Slow down. Slow down. SLOW DOWN! I said it 3 times, because it can’t be said enough. Plan for extra time to reach your destination, and take it.
• Be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween (I know I was) and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians, and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys very slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings. READ: put down the device!
• If driving while the daylight is turning to night, turn on your lights early.
If everyone exercises just a little bit of extra care and caution, we can reduce the number of injuries that may occur to our most precious assets: our children. Have fun, and, as always...
- Be Safe Everyone!
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