Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween should be a fun and safe time for everyone. On Halloween, the risk of pedestrian/motor-vehicle accidents is increased fourfold! Make trick-or-treating safe for your little monsters with these safety tips:

• Plan to wear costumes that are bright, reflectant and flame retardant. Make sure that your shoes fit well and that the costume is short enough to prevent tripping.

• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider wearing non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as a safer alternative.

• Teach children how to call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost.

• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children while trick-or-treating.

• Use flashlights when trick-or-treating at night. Walk, don’t run, from house to house. Stay on sidewalks and obey traffic signals.

• Only trick-or-treat at homes with porch lights on in local, familiar neighborhoods. Stay on the home’s porch; do not go inside when trick-or-treating.

• Bring all candy home before eating and have an adult inspect it for tampering.

• Do not eat any unwrapped treats and discard homemade treats from strangers.

• Small children should never carve pumpkins. Have the children draw or paint on the pumpkin instead.

• If an adult does carve a pumpkin, use extreme caution using sharp knives. Consider using a pumpkin carving tool specially designed for this task.

• Place lit pumpkins on sturdy tables. Consider using a flashlight or battery-operated candle inside a pumpkin instead of a lit candle.

• When driving on Halloween, be extremely cautious of children; drive slow and take extreme caution when exiting driveways, alleyways, and near intersections where children may be crossing.

ROHNERT PARK PUBLIC SAFETY WISHES YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!