Halloween is just around the corner and the Traverse City Police Department is offering a list of tips to ensure a safe and fun night.
• Parents should help select costumes. Be sure the material is both flame retardant, and warm and sturdy enough to take lots of activity.
• Leave the child’s face unobstructed. If a trick-or-treater wears a hat, be sure it fits well and doesn’t block vision. Safe "goblins" wear make-up on their faces, rather than masks or helmets that are hard to see, hear or breathe through.
• Stripe the costume with highly reflective tape front and back to make the trick-or-treater easier to see in the dark. Don’t let children wear a dark costume or camouflage.
• Require children wear flat shoes that fit well, without heels. Avoid over-sized shoes such as clown costume shoes.
• ALWAYS make sure a child is accompanied by an adult.
• Trick-or treat in well-lighted areas. Make sure each child has a flashlight to assist with walking from house to house.
• Stay on the sidewalks where available and walk facing the traffic. Cross streets only at intersections. Don’t jump ditches. Stay alert.
• Approach only those homes with porch lights or other front lights on.
• Do not allow children to eat any treats until the group has returned home and an adult has examined the contents of each bag.
• Do not eat anything that is even slightly suspicious. For example, look for commercially wrapped candy that may have been unwrapped and then re-wrapped.
