2012 Halloween Safety: Golden Valley Police Tips

Halloween is a holiday that's meant to be scary. And while witches, goblins and ghosts will be making their way through Golden Valley's streets on Oct. 31, safety should still be a top priority.

Starting now through Halloween, trick-or-treaters can recieve a free reflective trick-or-treat bag at the Golden Valley Police Department. In addition to giving away free bags, Joanne Paul, crime analyst for the Golden Valley Police Department, provided these tips for Patch readers:

For Mom and Dad

• Plan your trick-or-treating route with your kids so you’ll know where they will be.
• Leave your outside lights on all night.  This will discourage vandalism, allow neighbors to watch each others’ houses, and make the streets safer for trick-or-treaters.
• Prepare your kids for Halloween.  Make sure they know their address and phone number and remind them about traffic safety.
• Keep your cars in the garage to take them out of the way of temptation.
• Consider having a costume party for older kids to discourage them from trick-or-treating or getting caught up in the atmosphere of mischief.
• Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before letting your kids eat them.
• When out driving, slow down and be alert in residential neighborhoods.  Kids are excited on Halloween and move in unpredictable ways.
• Remember that costumes can limit children’s visibility and they may not be able to see your vehicle.

 For Trick-Or-Treaters

• Wear a costume that makes it easy for you to walk, see and be seen.
• Wear bright colored clothing and decorate your costume with reflector strips so you can be seen easily.
• Wigs and all costumes should be non-flammable. 
• Stay on the sidewalks or on the edge of the road.  Walk on the left side of the road facing traffic and be careful crossing the streets. Make sure to cross streets at corners.
• Wear make-up rather than a mask.  If you have to wear a mask,  take it off before you cross a street.  A mask can keep you from seeing and hearing well. 
• Don’t cut through people’s back yards. People often keep their dogs in their back yards and back yards are not well-lit.
• Trick-or-treat before it gets dark and/or carry a flashlight with you so you can see.
• Trick-or-treat only at homes where the outside lights are on and you know the people. Never go inside someone’s home unless your Mom or Dad go with you.
• Wait until you get home to eat your treats so your Mom or Dad can make sure they’re OK.

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