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Planning your costume:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short   enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes.
• When shopping for costumes, wigs, and accessories look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
• If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child's costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
• Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
• Teach children how to call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost.

 
Carving your pumpkin:

• Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting.
• Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest.
• Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended.

 
Halloween Home safety:

• To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove from the porch and front yard anything a child could trip over such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.
• Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.
• Wet leaves or snow should be swept from sidewalks and steps.
• Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently jump on or bite a trick-or-treater.

 
 TRICK-OR-TREAT Night:

• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
• Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
• Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or-Treaters to stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
• Remember reflective tape for costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
• Carry a cell phone for quick communication.
• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
• Never cut across yards or use alleys.
• Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks. Never cross between parked cars or out of driveways.
• Don’t assume the right of way.  Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters.  Just because one car stops, doesn't mean others will!
• Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

 
  Halloween Safe Driving Tips:

• Don't use a cell phone or other electronic device while driving on Halloween night. You shouldn't be doing this anyway.
• Pay extra attention, particularly to crosswalks, intersections and the side of the road.  Kids tend to walk along the curbs, cutting across the street to get to other homes.  Keep scanning all around you as you drive, whether as thru traffic or along with your kids as they trick-or-treat.
• Drive below the posted speed limit in residential areas during trick-or-treating hours.  This will allow you time to break if you see a child dart in front of you.
• Do not pass other vehicles that have stopped in the roadway, they could be dropping off children.  This is more common in rural areas but can happen anywhere.
• Instruct your child to never get into the car of a stranger.  It might be easy for your child to mistake someone else's car your car with the excitement of Halloween. Consider placing something lighted, like a lighted plastic Jack-O-Lantern, on your dashboard to make your car more recognizable to your child.
• Halloween is a night that child predators are looking for victims.  Let your child know that they should never get into the car of a stranger at any time.  If someone stops them and asks for help or offers them candy, tell them to scream as loud as they can and run.
• Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars.  Let them know if they carry a flash light to never shine it in the eyes of a driver.  This can cause blindness on the drivers part temporarily and they may not see your child.
• If you are dropping off or picking up your kids in an area, pull off the road into a safe spot and turn on your hazard lights to alert other motorists.  If you go with your kids from door to door, leave the hazard lights on so other drivers can see your car parked there.