Happy Halloween!

Kids love the magic of a Happy Halloween, but costume and traffic safety are essential for trick-or-treaters. These tips can help make a safe and enjoyable holiday for everyone.

To help ensure adults and children have a Happy Halloween, fda.gov has compiled a list of Halloween safety tips. Before Halloween arrives, be sure to choose a costume that won’t cause safety hazards.

• If children are allowed out after dark, fasten reflective tape to their costumes and bags, or give them glow sticks
• Opt for nontoxic Halloween makeup over masks, which can obscure vision; always test makeup in a small area first to see if any irritation develops
• All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant
• Remove all makeup before children go to bed to prevent skin and eye irritation

Here’s a scary statistic: Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Lack of visibility because of low lighting at night also plays a factor in these incidents. Keep these tips in mind when your children are out on Halloween night:

• If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable to you
• A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds
• Agree on a specific time children should return home
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends
• Teach your children never to enter a stranger’s home or car
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home, and take care to avoid any food allergies

We offer these additional safety tips for parents as well as anyone who plans to be on the road during trick-or-treat hours:

• Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully
• Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving on Halloween
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs
• At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing

Happy Halloween! Have fun and stay safe!

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services