Halloween Safety Tips…

Halloween Safety TipsPeyton_as_Spiderman

It is amazing how fast time flies when you get older.  It just seems like we were in the heat of summer. Now, fall has rolled in, and we are moving towards the end of the year holidays (ie, Thanksgiving and Christmas). But, before we celebrate those holidays, we have Halloween.

We can all remember how exciting it was to go “trick or treating”. Dressing up, and getting a bunch of assorted candy was certainly fun! This year, it is going to be hard to hold the little ones (and not so little ones) back from getting out and visiting a bunch of homes. But before you send the kiddos out, please take time to review some safety tips to help keep them safe!

According to the SafeKids.org website,  children are twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Sorry to be the “Debbie Downer” but it is so important to get this information out there.

skullHere are some safety tips to go over BEFORE heading out to “Trick or Treat”.

• Be sure to cross streets at the corners. If available, use traffic signals and crosswalks

• Before stepping out into a roadway, look both ways. Look towards the left, then look right and finally left again. As you cross the road, keep looking!

• As you are walking, be sure to put cell phones, ipods, and other electronic items away. As you continue your walk, keep your head up.
• Be sure to walk and not run, especially when crossing a street.
• Be sure to make eye contact with the drivers of vehicles before walking in front of them.
• When available, always walk on the side walk or paths. If there aren’t any sidewalks, be sure to walk facing traffic, and to the far left.
Watch out for cars that my be backing up or turning.
Try not to cross between parked cars.
Explain the dangers of darting out into the street.
If children are old enough to go trick or treating, have them go in groups, rather than going alone. Children under 12 should go trick or treating with an adult.
Trick or Treat in well lit areas that are familiar.
Dress in light colors and/or add reflective tape to dark costumes and bags.
Face paint and make up are better options than masks. Masks can block a child’s view.
Flashlights and glow sticks help children see where they are going and can be seen by drivers.
• Size matters. Be sure your child’s costume is not too big. This will help prevent trips and falls.
Finally, if you are driving, please be alert. Children usually begin trick or treating around 5:30pm and will continue until 9:30pm (maybe later). Get rid of all distractions.
We hope that you enjoy spending time with your children this weekend. If you have pictures that you would like to see posted in our next blog, feel free to email them to arcticairmike@gmail.com .