Halloween Safety
WEST
CHESTER, PA - County Health Director, Jeanne Casner, suggests following these
common sense practices when teaching your children to have fun and be safe this Halloween:
common sense practices when teaching your children to have fun and be safe this Halloween:
Walk Safely
·
Cross the street at comers, using
traffic signals and crosswalks.
·
Look
left, right and left again when crossing and
keep looking as you cross.
·
Put
away cell phones, Ipods and other distracting devices and
stay focused on your
surroundings, especially when crossing the street.
surroundings, especially when crossing the street.
·
Always
walk on sidewalks or paths.
If there are no sidewalks,
walk facing traffic as far to
the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
·
Watch
for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach
children to never dart out into the
street or cross between parked cars.
street or cross between parked cars.
Trick or Treat With an
Adult
·
Children
under the age of 12 should be accompanied by an adult when trick or treating.
If
kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas
that are well lit and should travel in groups.
kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas
that are well lit and should travel in groups.
·
Have
dinner before taking your children out for trick or treat so that children will
not be
tempted to eat candy before you've had a chance to inspect it.
tempted to eat candy before you've had a chance to inspect it.
Keep Costumes Both
Creative and Safe
·
Decorate
costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers. If
possible, choose light
colors for costumes.
colors for costumes.
·
Masks
can obstruct your child's vision. Choose face paint and makeup whenever
possible.
possible.
·
When
selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.
·
Kids
should carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
Drive Extra Safely on
Halloween
·
Drive
slowly and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Popular trick-or-
treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those
hours.
treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those
hours.
·
Anticipate
heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot
children from greater distances.
children from greater distances.
·
Enter
and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
·
Eliminate
any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your
surroundings.
surroundings.
For more Halloween safety
tips, visit SafeKids.org