The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

October 29, 2012

Safety tips given for Halloween

Correspondent Van Holland

TARBORO — There are a lot of tips that parents and children need to remember during Halloween night. The tips are ones that parents and children need to follow to make Halloween a safe and fun event.

The streets will be filled with little ghosts, goblins and witches trick-or-treating this Halloween. The event should be filled with lots of fun for the children while they get surprises from each house that they visit that gives them plenty of excitement.

Citizens need to follow common sense practices and keep the event safe for the children as they go door to door Wednesday night.

The major dangers for children and adults are not the witches or spirits but rather from falls and pedestrians and car crashes that involve trick-or-treaters.

Edgecombe County Sheriff James Knight wants to give citizens and their children the following tips while they enjoy themselves during Halloween.

Motorist need to remember the following rules as they drive:

• Watch for children darting out in front of parked or moving cars

• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs

• Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully

• Watch for children with dark clothing

Parents or guardians need to remember the following rules while trick-or-treating:

• Makes sure that an adult or an older responsible youth will be supervising the outing for children under the age of 12

• Plan and discuss the route that you and the children intend to follow and know the names of the older companions

• Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along an established route

• Teach your children to stop only at houses or apartments that are well lit and never enter a stranger's house

• Establish a time to return

• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home and the candy is examined

• Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules

• Pin a slip of paper with the child's name, address and phone number inside a pocket in case the child gets separated from the group

Tips for costume design:

• Only wear fire retardant materials

• Costumes should be loose so warm clothes can be worn underneath

• Costumes should not be so long that they are a tripping hazard

• If children are allowed out after dark, outfits should be made with a light colored material

• Use a strip of retro-reflective tape to make the children visible

Face designs and mask cautions:

• Do not use mask that can obstruct a child's vision or use make up instead

• If masks are worn, they should have a nose and mouth opening and large eye holes

• When buying special Halloween make up, check the packages containing ingredients that are labeled non-toxic and laboratory tested

Accessories tips:

• Knives, swords and other accessories should be made from cardboard or flexible material and do not let the child carry any sharp objects

• Bags or snacks carried by the children should be light colored or trimmed with retro-reflective tape if the children are out after dark

• Carry flashlights with fresh batteries

While trick-or-treating:

• Do not enter homes without adult supervision

• Walk and do not run from house to house

• Do not cross lawns where unseen objects can cause a child to trip

• Walk on sidewalks and not in the streets

• Walk on the left side of the road facing traffic if there are no sidewalks

Inspecting treats:

• Make sure you inspect each piece of candy or treat that your child receives

• Insist that your child does not eat treats before they are inspected

• Wash all fruit and slice into pieces

• When in doubt of a piece of candy, throw it away

Tips for homeowners:

• Keep candles and Jack O' Lanterns away from landings and doorsteps so costumes will not brush against them

• Keep candles and Jack O' Lanterns away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could catch fire

• Do not leave your house unattended

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