Halloween 2024: Trick or treating safety tips

JACKSON, Tenn. — The holiday season is here and it all starts with Halloween. With the busy times, it is important to stay safe.

Trick or treating is always one of the most fun times of the entire year. Some reasons why we love it so much are we can get out and see people in the community, dress up in costumes, and most importantly, get candy. However, safety is always the number one goal. So, if you are driving over the next few days, what should you remember?

“Make sure you are aware of your surroundings. Make sure you are aware of pedestrians. We know that there are going to be pedestrians. But also in areas where you may not be used to pedestrian traffic, be on the lookout for them as well,” said Megan Cooper, Tennessee public and government relations specialist.

If you are a parent or guardian that is taking little ones trick or treating soon, there are also some tips for you to make sure your kids are as safe as possible.

“Wear something reflective. Whether that be reflective tape on their costume, led wristbands, there are even blinking LEDs you can put in their pumpkins and stuff like that,” said Sgt. Chris Chilcote, Jackson Police Department.

Staying on the sidewalk, and if there is not one, stay on the edge of the left side of the road. These are a few other tips that Sergeant Chilcote gave us. Also, remembering how the child’s costume can affect their car seat’s effectiveness is a big thing to remember.

“If you have smaller children, be mindful of their car seat. It likely shouldn’t be super cold on Halloween, but even if your child has a bulky costume, make sure you’re taking that off before you buckle them into that car seat. The issue with big bulky items is that the harness does not fit correctly,” said Cooper.

Safe Kids Worldwide has found that kids are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other time of year.

This can also be a tough time for pets. Keep an eye on all of your candy and their wrappers once you bring them home. These can, and have been, a big danger to pets in the past.

For more local news, click here.