Halloween is just around the corner and the top priority for the City of Plattsburgh is the safety of trick-or-treaters. As candy collecting on Halloween takes place in the evening when it starts to get dark, it is important to remember some key safety tips for those planning on trick-or-treating. Over the past years, the Plattsburgh Crete Center has hosted “Trick-or-Treat on Safety Street” to encourage safe trick-or-treating. Kids and families are invited to come dressed up and safely collect candy.
According to the event page, “Civic Center is transformed into a family-friendly environment that promotes kids of all ages to dress up and trick-or-treat in a safe and controlled atmosphere. Children will travel from house to house and collect goodies without the worries of cars, strangers, or tainted candy.”
SAFETY COSTUME:
Spookiness may often be associated with the dark, but that means it is okay to blend in with the darkness. It is unsafe to wear dark colors at night, especially in a not-so-lit area like the suburbs. Putting reflective strips or reflective materials on a costume or wearing bright reflective clothing can help a lot and need to ruin the costume. Cars will be able to spot trick-or-treaters better with the reflective headlights colors.
DRIVING SAFETY:
It is a known law to put headlights on once it gets dark, but on Halloween night, it is recommended to put car headlights on a little earlier. The use of headlights will make it easier to spot trick-or-treaters wearing bright or reflective clothing. Not only that, but it will help trick-or-treaters spot, drivers, more easily.
CANDY SAFETY:
Candy-checking is pretty wide-spread knowledge following multiple incidents in the past where razor blades and other dangers were hidden inside candies or food handed out during Halloween night. Because of these problems, candy companies started encouraging people to hand out wrapped candy rather than treats. Parents are also encouraged to then check the candy before eating it and making sure it is properly wrapped and sealed so it has been tampered with. Though this problem is not so big due to public awareness over the years, dangers such as razor blades, drugs or poison are still a possibility.
Being safe during the holiday doesn’t mean it dampens the fun. As long as one takes mandatory precautions, Halloween can be just as fun as it is safe.