How to Have a Sweet (and Safe) Halloween Week

Now that we are in full swing of autumn, most of the northern states are gearing up for what’s next to come: winter!  Before we go that far, let’s talk about some safety tips that are most relevant for this time of year: leaf clean-up, trick-or-treating, and Daylight Savings Time. Children running around collecting candy or jumping in piles of leaves at a time when the sun sets earlier can be dangerous if you don’t plan appropriately.

When it comes to trick-or-treating, here are a few tips to keep the entire family safe tomorrow on Halloween:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. If that’s not possible, send your child out with a flashlight or glow sticks so they are more visible to drivers.
• Keep costumes short to prevent slips, trips, and falls on uneven pavement surfaces.
• Provide supervision for your younger kids and plan a route together with your older kids for safely navigating neighborhoods.
• Always walk across the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Remember to tell your children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• Because some of us travel by car to take part in Halloween celebrations, here are some safety tips for motorists:
• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
  Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.

As mentioned earlier, this time of year prepares us for the temperatures that winter has in store for us, but there are also a few things that you should prepare at home before it gets too cold!

• We set the clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. this Sunday, November 4. As the sun sets earlier, be aware of limitations in your visibility, and slow down if you can’t see well.
• We also experience more rain during these months. Remember that if your windshield wipers are on, your lights should also be on and keep a safe distance from the car in front of you.
• Children love to play in piles of leaves, so use extra caution driving where leaves are piled at curbside.
• As the temperatures drop further at night, ice will start forming on many surfaces. For example, drivers may need some extra time in the morning scraping all the frost off their vehicles.  Shady spots on the roadway may harbor black ice.  And cooler temps mean that tire pressures may drop.

With proper planning, your trick-or-treating and autumn driving will be a success!