Halloween Safety Tips

KEEPING YOUR CHILD SAFE

The Seattle Police Department encourages safety and supervision during the annual Trick-or-Treat season. It is especially important for parents to adhere to a few safety rules for their children when they are trick-or-treating.

• Know your treaters' route

• Take a flashlight

• Be sure costumes, shoes, and treat bags are safe.

• Remind kids not to enter strangers' homes or cars.

• Set rules about not eating treats until kids get home. Be sure to inspect all treats before allowing kids to eat them.

• Candy that has been opened should be thrown away. Any homemade treats or fruit should be inspected closely.

• Remember drivers have a hard time seeing people, especially at dusk.

• Never cross the street from between parked cars.

• Watch open flames from jack-o-lanterns as they can catch costumes and long wigs on fire.

• Make sure that fake knives, swords, and guns are made from cardboard or other flexible materials to avoid accidental injury or worse, have them mistaken for the real thing!

MAKING YOUR HOME SAFE FOR TRICK OR TREATERS

It is also important to ensure that your home is safe and accessible to trick-or-treaters. As adults there are some very simple things we can do to make the evening safe everyone.

• Turn on your porch light.

• Move lit jack-o-lanterns off the porch where kids get bunched up if they are trick-or-treating in groups.

• Remove objects from your yard that might present a hazard.

• Drive slowly all evening-you never know what creature may suddenly cross your path.

• Report any suspicious or criminal activity to the police.

Adult Halloween Costumes should have the same standards applied as to children; with thoughts of visibility, safety, and dangerous looking accessories.

Be aware that adults dressed up can be scary to younger children.