Halloween is fast approaching and Wellington County OPP wants everyone to have fun and be safe.
“Halloween is an exciting time for children, so we are again reminding our youth, parents and motorists to be extra vigilant to make this trick or treat tradition a safe and enjoyable event,” said detachment commander Inspector Scott Lawson.
FOR PARENTS
Accompany your children or ensure they are with a responsible adult;
Costumes should fit properly to prevent trips and falls.
Select costumes with bright colors to increase your child’s visibility and add reflective strips.
Provide your child with a flashlight and a cell phone if available.
Draw a map outlining the route they should follow and set a curfew.
Do not allow your children to carry anything that looks like a weapon.
Tell your children not to eat anything until they get home.
Start trick or treating early before it gets too dark.
FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTHS
Carry a white bag or pillowcase for your candy, or add some reflective tape.
Bring a cell phone in case you need to make an emergency phone call and carry a flashlight.
Trick or treat with a friend and visit homes that are well lit and never go inside a stranger’s home.
Walk on the sidewalk whenever possible. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the side of the road facing traffic. Don’t criss-cross back and forth across the street. Never cross between parked cars, always at crosswalks, street corners or intersections.
Don’t eat your treats before you get home. When home, ask your parents to look through the treats with you to make sure everything is safe.
Tell your parents/guardians where you will be and trick or treat in familiar areas.
FOR HOMEOWNERS
Turn on outdoor lights and replace burnt-out bulbs.
Remove items from your yard or porch that might trip a child.
Sweep wet leaves from your steps and sidewalk.
Use an alternative to a candle in your pumpkin such as a flashlight or battery-operated candle. If you do use a candle, never leave it unattended
FOR DRIVERS
Drive slowly in residential areas where children are more likely to be trick or treating.
Remember that costumes can limit a child’s vision and they may not be able to see your vehicle.
Reduce your distractions and stay alert.
Enter and exit driveways slowly. Proceed with caution.
Remember that safety is Wellington County OPP’s top priority. If you observe any suspicious activity, call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
Red Cross offers tips for a safe Halloween
With witches, goblins, and superheroes descending on neighbourhoods across Canada, the Canadian Red Cross offers parents some safety tips to help prepare their children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday.
Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun.
Costumes should be light-coloured and flame resistant with reflective strips so that children are more easily seen at night. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too.)
Costumes should be short enough to avoid tripping.
Remind children to keep away from open fires and candles (costumes can be extremely flammable)
Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover the eyes.
Walk, slither and sneak on sidewalks – not in the street
Calls should be made along one side of the street first and then the other, and it’s best to cross the street only at intersections or crosswalks.
Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and low-flying brooms
Use a flashlight to see better and to be better seen.
Plan the route and share it with the family
Trick or treaters should travel in groups of four or five, young children should be accompanied by an adult.
Make sure parents and children know where the Block Parent houses are located in the neighborhood. Set boundaries with children. Explain the importance of staying within them and arriving home on time.
To learn more accident prevention tips and how to respond to emergencies at home, register for a First Aid course in the community. Call the Canadian Red Cross Guelph-Wellington branch at 519-836-3523 to register or visit at 257 Woodlawn Road West, Unit 101, Guelph.
