Here’s how to avoid risks on Halloween, so your kids can have fun treat-or-treating
It’s that time of year when creepy creatures, pretty princesses and ghastly ghouls will be lurking around every corner.
While Halloween is spooktaculary fun for kids, parents should think about how to keep their costumed cuties safe.
Here’s safety tips to keep your children safe while collecting candy to fill their trick-or-treat bags:
Track your kids
When going door-to-door looking for sweet treats, parents should accompany their children, or at least another trusted adult should go along.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement says young children never should visit a home without an adult, and should only go to well-lit homes with porch or exterior lights.
If your child is going trick-or-treating with friends, take advantage of your phone’s GPS apps like Apple’s Family-Sharing app and Androids Google Family Link app.
Both Apple and Android users also can share their real-time location using their phone’s messaging app or Google Maps.
Checking your neighborhood
While you may know your next-door neighbors, knowing who lives on the entire block or the nearby streets is a taller order. Florida has over 4,000 sexual offenders and predators, and the state has a database to share their addresses. You can view it to help plan your Halloween route.
The database, run by the FDLE, is not meant to be a judgment on risk level of an offender.
It can be found here: fdle.state.fl.us.
Keep an eye on the road
Parents and children should always be aware of the cars on the road, especially when crossing streets or while trick-or-treating in sparsely lit neighborhoods.
The same goes for drivers. With more people on streets, turning on your headlights before the sun completely sets is just one way you can keep pedestrians aware of you.
The FDLE also suggests decorating costumes and bags with reflective tape, stickers or light colors for an added layer of visibility.
More Halloween safety tips:
▪ Eat only wrapped treats, not homemade treats from strangers;
▪ Examine candy for tampering. If in doubt, throw it out;
▪ Trick-or-treat in groups, if possible;
▪ Avoid shortcuts through backyards, alleys or parks;
▪ Residents should keep doors locked, even if you are out front handing out candy;
▪ Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights.
This story was originally published October 28, 2022 at 8:51 PM.
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