According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), Halloween night can be ONE of the deadliest nights for Pedestrians. Children are four times more likely to be hit by a car Trick or Treating than any other night. That’s why it is so important for parents to accompany their little Goblins, and make sure they are “lit up” and can be seen by cars and other pedestrians.

Reflective Tape is inexpensive and can be applied to most costumes, when car headlights or any light shines on the tape, it give a bright glow, and can be seen from several feet away. Many costumes already come with reflective tape attached. Fireman Costumes, Police Costumes, and many others come with reflecting material. Be sure to look on the packaging, most will state if costume is reflective or not. Many costumes also come with LED Lighting built in. Fairy Costumes, Princess Costumes, etc. come with lights that twinkle in the wings or skirt of the costume, yet another great way for children to stay well lit and safe.

Another option are light up Candy Buckets for children to carry Trick or Treating as well. Many buckets come with LED Lights inside or on the handle, which gives your child and extra glow.

Law Enforcement all over the country agree that the safest time to Trick or Treat is between 4:30pm and 8:00pm. Drivers need to pay careful attention and slow down on Halloween night. Children under 12 years of age should always be accompanied by an Adult. For those 12 and over, kids should always go in groups and parents should always make a plan with their young teen of what route they are taking, where they plan to meet and set a time. There are many GPS Apps for SmartPhones that can actually map out a route and track on your phone, so both the trick or treater and the parent can map out and track where they are going on their SmartPhones. The “Trick or Treating” APP is a good one for .99 and available on  Apple and Android phones.

When it comes to candy, the razor blade in apples and poisoned candy bars are somewhat of an urban legend. However, parents should still check their children’s loot for ripped wrappers, home baked goods, and produce like candy apples, or anything that appears tampered with. It’s best to discard those types of treats, and stick to the well wrapped store bought items.

Halloween can also be a dangerous time for Pets. PetMd recommends to keep animals in doors a few days before Halloween, especially Black Cats. This protects against possible Pranksters looking to do harm. The ASPCA also states to keep all candy, wrappers, packaging, etc away from Dogs/Cats, and cautions that in addition to chocolate, Xylitol (an artificial sweetener found in a lot of candy) can be extremely poisonous to dogs. It can cause their blood pressure to drop immediately and be fatal.

Bottom line-Halloween is one of the best nights of the year. Children LOVE Trick or Treating. Take these proper safety precautions to keep you and your family safe. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!