Chelmsford Trick-Or-Treating Details, Safety Tips

CHELMSFORD, MA — Happy Halloween! Here are details for trick-or-treating in Chelmsford and safety tips for trick-or-treaters, parents and drivers for Halloween night.

Trick-or-treating is scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday.

While trick-or-treating, children should:

• Look both ways while crossing the street
• Cross at street corners
• Obey traffic signals
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible
• Walk on direct routes and try to keep street crossings to a minimum
• Never run out into the street or cross the street from between parked cars
• Remain in groups
• Stay away from dark homes

On Halloween, parents should:

• Accompany children under the age of 12
• Put children in costumes that fit to prevent them from tripping
• If possible, help their children choose costumes that include face paint instead of a mask because the latter can obstruct a child's vision.
• Decorate their children's costumes and bags with reflective tape and stickers and choose light colors, if possible
• Send their children with glow sticks or flashlights, so they can see better and be seen better by drivers in the dark
• Examine all treats before children eat anything

On Halloween night, drivers should:

• Be extra cautious
• Drive slowly and be extra alert, especially in neighborhoods where there may be trick-or-treaters
• Be prepared for trick-or-treaters to behave in unpredictable ways
• Take extra time looking for children at intersections, medians and curbs
• Go extra slow when pulling out of the driveway or exiting an alley
• Avoid distractions, stay off the phone and focus on the road
• Use headlights earlier in the day in order to see trick-or-treaters from greater distances