Whether you are booking a minibus or van terra from Reston Limo for your little ones to trick-or-treat in style or doing it the traditional way (on foot), the most important thing to parents when the ghouls and ghosts come out- is safety.
Check out our handy tips below to keep your little monsters, princesses and superheroes safe while they collect their goodies on Halloween.
Safe Trick-or-Treating
- Kids under 12 shouldn’t be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are old enough to go out without an adult, it is best to go in a group and stick to familiar, well-lit areas.
- If your child is close to the age of trick-or-treating alone and is giving you a hard time about you going with them, try negotiating by offering to drive a few of their friends to the best houses and waiting in the car while they go to a few stops. This way you won’t be standing right behind them, potentially “embarrassing them” We know, they grow up so fast!
- Make sure your child isn’t walking from house to house with ear-buds in or looking down at their phone. We all do this, but it is especially important to see and hear their surroundings while walking at night.
Costume Safety
- Add reflective tape or stickers to costumes which will make your child easier to see at night, you can even get creative and work it into the costume’s design!
- Masks can obstruct your child’s vision which isn’t a good bet when they need to cross streets at night, so choose face paint and makeup over masks whenever possible.
- Always send your child out with glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen. Glow sticks are just plain cool, so it won’t be a struggle asking your child to tote a few!
Safety tips for YOU as a driver
- Be aware that Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights to drive; for everyone. Add parties and an increase in drunk drivers, with excited children dressed in dark colors and moving around in unpredictable ways, often running in to the street; so slow down by at least 10 miles an hour in residential neighborhoods and be extra alert.
- The most popular time to trick-or-treat is 5 – 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert during those hours.
- Take a few extra seconds to specifically look for children at intersections, on the grass or on the curb-keep in mind, they may be dressed in dark colors or dart out unexpectedly.
- Enter and exit driveways slowly and carefully as kids may be walking down or up to the door.
- Get rid of in-car distractions like loud music, eating or making hands free calls so you can concentrate on the road and keep an extra sharp eye out.