With Halloween fast approaching, RCMP are reminding kids young and old to practise smart safety tips to help keep the day spooky and not scary.
Cst. Tyler Smith cautioned parents to make sure they go through their kids candy haul at the end of the night before they eat it.
“That’s a good takeaway message for pretty much everywhere and anywhere,” he said.
Because it’s expected to be dark by the time trick or treaters hit the streets, children are advised to carry a flashlight and stay on the sidewalk. Only houses that have their lights on are participating in the celebration and under no circumstances should you accept an invitation to go inside a stranger’s house or car.
Roads could be potentially icy, so kids are asked to walk from location to location and stay on one side of the street at a time. Darting out from in-between cars is not advised. It’s also considered bad form to cut through people’s yards and driveways. Trick or treaters should always travel in groups.
Homeowners, in turn, are asked to make sure their yards and sidewalks are clear of debris, like ladders, hoses, flower pots and other tripping hazards. Animals can get spooked by all the ghouls and ghosts and its suggested dogs should be kept indoors until the fright-night passes.
Costume selection is also important. Smith suggests making sure the costume does not drag to avoid tripping hazards and wearing makeup instead of a mask to improve vision. Comfortable shoes and reflective markings that can be seen by traffic is also worth consideration.
As Halloween has become an adult celebration as well, Smith had some common-sense advice for older partiers.
“Drink responsibly, watch your vehicles and don’t drive after drinking,” he said.
Lastly, don’t feed the foxes. The town is already having a hard time with them without encouraging them.