A Few Last-Minute Reminders For Keeping Halloween Safe

Halloween is supposed to be scary, but it shouldn’t be dangerous. With a little care by parents and children, the day can be great fun and be safe.

Since most trick-or-treating is done at night, children need to watch out for falls, traffic and the possibility of burns from jack-o’-lanterns and other candles.

The National Safe Kids Campaign offers these tips for a Halloween free of injury:

Avoid cumbersome costumes and vision-limiting masks. Use face paint or cosmetics instead. Make sure costumes do not cause tripping and that shoes worn with the costumes fit.

Teach children not to run while out trick-or-treating and to stay on the sidewalk. Children should cross streets with an adult and not cut across yards, where a child could run into lawn ornaments or clotheslines that are hard to see in the dark.

Put reflective tape on costumes and bags.

Buy “flame resistant” costumes, masks, beards and wigs or use fire-resistant material when making costumes. Avoid costumes made of flimsy material or outfits with baggy sleeves or billowing skirts, since they are more likely to come in contact with candles on doorsteps or at parties.

Travel with your young children while they are trick-or-treating, and instruct those going without parents to never enter a home or apartment.

Tell children to bring their treats home so you can inspect the candy before they eat it. Discard anything that appears to have been tampered with.