One of the scariest things about Halloween may be the danger that traffic poses for young trick-or-treaters. To ensure a safe holiday experience, parents should remind kids of the rules for navigating streets and sidewalks.
- Children under 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit.
- Children under 10 should always cross the street with an adult. Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
- Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Walk, don’t run, across the street.
- 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.
- Watch out for cars that are turning or backing up. Never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars. The excitement of the holiday can be distracting to both drivers and children.
“Parents have many concerns on Halloween and we need to remind kids about safety before they head out to trick-or-treat,” says Alan Korn, executive director of Safe Kids USA. Korn and the child pedestrian safety experts at Safe Kids offer these tips to keep kids safe:
- Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
- Choose face paint and make-up whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
- Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights in order to see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
Parents also need to keep in mind that there are other potential hazards for children on Halloween. For instance, kids should be reminded to only eat treats in original, unopened wrappers and to throw away candy if the wrapper is faded or torn or if the candy is unwrapped.
This article provided courtesy of the North America Precis Syndicate.
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