Tips for Staying Safe on Halloween
Halloween is fast approaching and as private investigator, I have some advice for you. The well-loved American tradition becoming increasingly popular in Australia, hundreds of children are expected to trawl their neighbourhoods seeking treats.
At the same time, households will be stocking up on treats in preparation for the onslaught of excited trick-or-treaters.
But while the tradition is certainly a lot of fun, there are some safety issues to be aware of. So before you head off, take heed of a few Halloween safety tips to ensure the experience is a good one.
Make sure lollies are safe
One of the most common life lessons we teach our children is not to take lollies from strangers. With Halloween rituals being completely at odds with this oft-taught rule, many parents fear the possibility of poisoned lollies and treats. Although it’s an uncommon outcome, it has happened before and remains a possibility, so it’s important to set a few rules before sending your children off.
- Make sure children know not to eat any of their treats before returning home.
- When they do, ensure no wrappers have been tampered with and discard loose lollies that don’t include any packaging or have been unwrapped.
- Instruct trick-or-treaters not to accept any drinks or other food from households – just try not to be alarmist or you’ll risk ruining the experience!
Stay safe on the streets
At the end of the day, trick-or-treating on Halloween is always going to involve walking the streets. And while the practice is growing in popularity, there are still many areas where participants are few and far between. As a result, it’s important to either supervise your children, or ensure they’re with a trusted adult.
- Instruct the kids not to go inside anyone’s home for any reason and avoid backstreets or dark areas.
- It’s also a good idea to have them wear brightly coloured clothes or carry a torch or glow stick to keep them visible to drivers.
- Give your children a road safety talk before they leave.
- And remember, only knock on the doors of homes with the exterior light switched on – that’s usually an indication that they’re happy to receive visits from trick-or-treaters.
Keep your home safe
Knowing the likelihood of numerous children knocking on your door, it’s important to keep the area safe.
Make sure the path leading to your home is well lit and any potential tripping hazards are removed.
You might be tempted to light a jack o’lantern, but it’s important to opt for LED lights or battery operated candles, rather than an open flame.
If you’re using extension power cords, ensure they’re safe for outdoor use and kept clear from moving feet. Be careful not to overload power boards either.
Other safety precautions
If you’re planning to take on the well-loved jack o’lantern tradition, make sure children aren’t permitted to carve pumpkins – leave that task to adults! If you want to try it out using an open flame, make sure an adult is constantly supervision. Never leave an open flame unattended.
Don’t forget the furry family members! Chocolates and raisins are toxic to dogs and cats so be sure to keep those treats for children only.
This is some of the advice I can give you as a private investigator and father. Have fun, don’t eat too much candy, and keep this Halloween safe!
