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Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips for Goblins of All Ages From the Red Cross
Here's a statistic that's sure to scare adults according to the Centers for Disease Control, children are four times more likely to be hit by a vehicle (car, motorcycle, SUV, truck) on Halloween than on any other day of the year.* Halloween is Wednesday, October 31, and thousands of children and young adults will scurry around local neighborhoods during the late afternoon and after the sun goes down. While trick-ortreating can be scary at times (vandalism, rush hour traffic and tampered goodies), guidelines provided by the American Red Cross in Greater New York (ARC/GNY) can help goblins of all ages enjoy plenty of safe fun.
The following tips for children, adults and motorists are provided by the American Red Cross in Greater New York:
Tips to Teach Children
* Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible, have an adult go with you. * Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street. If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic. * Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks and low-flying brooms. * Cross the street only at corners, not in the middle of the block and stay together in a group before crossing. * Never hide or cross the street between parked cars. * Wear light-colored or reflective clothing so you are more visible. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards and brooms, too!) * Use face paint rather than masks or big floppy hats that will cover your eyes. * Don't wear long, baggy, or loose costumes or extra-large shoes- you could trip and fall! * Carry a flashlight to light your way. * Keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be extremely flammable.) If a costume catches fire, STOP, DROP and ROLL. * Only visit well-lit homes that have a porch light on. * Accept treats at the door; never go into a stranger's house or apartment. * Be cautious of animals and strangers. * Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating them. * Don't eat candy if the package has already been opened.
Tips for Parents
-Establish a route in a well known neighborhood and discuss it with your kids.
-Review Halloween safety precautions with children, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules.
-Accompany children under age 12- either you, another responsible adult or an older youth.
-Remember that masks that can restrict peripheral vision and hearing and oversized or loose costumes and shoes can cause children to trip and fall.
-Choose a firm return time.
-Make sure children know their phone number and carry coins for emergency telephone calls or carry a cell phone.
-Purchase fire retardant/fireproof costumes. Check the tag/ label on the costume to make sure it's flame-resistant.
-Make sure your older children are carrying ID.
-Have children use flexible costume knives and swords, not ones that are rigid or sharp.
-Ask children to bring treats home before eating them so you can inspect them. Remember: small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.
-Call your local poison control center if you believe your child has eaten something tainted.
-Flush eyes with cool water should face paint, glitter or shaving cream get into eyes.
-Prepare for trick-or-treaters by clearing porches, lawns and sidewalks and placing jack-olanterns away from doorways or landings.
-When carving pumpkins: use stable, flat surfaces with good lighting; draw and follow patterns on the outside of the pumpkin instead of freehand carving; and use blunt instruments with dull serrations specially designed for pumpkin carving.
Tips for Drivers
* Slow down in residential neighborhoods (drive at least five miles under the speed limit) to give yourself time to react to excited trick-or-treaters who might dart into the street, especially mid-block or from between parked cars. * Broaden your visual scanning- look to your right and left, into front yards and onto porches. * Watch carefully for small superheroes, vampires and goblins in dark costumes walking on the road, medians and curbs; they can be hard to see after dark. * Use caution when exiting driveways and alleyways. * Turn on your vehicle's headlights, even during the day. They make you more visible.
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