Halloween is many things to many people. For kids it’s all about dressing up, having fun with friends and eating lots of candy. Unfortunately, there are also people who like to create very real mischief this holiday, which is never fun for the person whose home or car gets egged or worse. Driving is a challenge as well as walking the streets to trick or treat. At AIS, we want everyone to be safe so we came up with the following 10 Halloween safety tips to prevent a truly scary experience this Halloween.
- Drive slowly and carefully. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. Remember that very small children will be on the streets and it’ll be dark, which makes it exceptionally hard to see them. Young children sometimes dart into traffic either because they can’t see well due to their masks or because they don’t know how to safely cross the street yet. You don’t want the whole evening – and perhaps your life – ruined due to carelessness so keep your eyes open!
- Avoid driving during trick-or-treating hours. From 5:00pm-9:00pm, kids will be roaming the streets. Try to reach your destination before 5:00pm and leave after 9:00pm. Better yet, avoid driving at all if you can! Be especially careful leaving your driveway or garage because you never know if a tiny witch or little Darth Vader may be right behind you and impossible to see.
Never leave children without a proper chaperone. - Don’t pass stopped vehicles. Parents may be dropping off young children, and if they suddenly begin running, you could have a tragic situation on your hands. If you are dropping off your kids, make sure to turn on your hazard lights as soon as you pull over.
- Protect your vehicle. On Halloween, it’s not uncommon for cars parked on the street to be egged or worse! Smashed windows and slashed tires are not unheard of during this holiday either. You’re best off keeping your car in the garage, but if you’re going out for the evening, try to park in a well-lit area that has some foot traffic. Troublemakers are less apt to bang up your car if there are witnesses. Also, activate your car alarm if you have one. If you have comprehensive insurance on our car, chances are that any damage done to your car by the neighborhood vandal will be covered. You may want to call your agent in advance to see if you will be protected on Halloween.
- Protect your home. Lights go a long way to deter vandalism. They will also help children wearing costumes get to your doorstep safely. You should also consider installing surveillance cameras, especially if your home is tucked away and not near streets that see considerable foot traffic. Live footage could help the police identify perpetrators in the event that your home does get vandalized.
- Watch (and calm) your pets. They may feel stressed from the bell ringing every few minutes and they may get spooked seeing people dressed in strange costumes. If you can, keep them in another room and give them a couple of drops of Rescue Relief, especially if you are having a party in your home. The last thing you want is for a guest or a trick or treater getting bit by Fido!
- Choose smart costumes for your children. No matter how clever or cute a costume is, it’s just not worth it if your child can’t see very well, so avoid masks and use non-toxic face paints instead. Also avoid props with sharp edges. Always go for the plastic and bendy swords and knives. Also, attach glow sticks to your children’s clothing so they will be more visible to drivers on the road.
- Supervise your children. Little ones should always have an adult with them. Children can easily get distracted so it’s important to keep them focused while walking. Make sure everyone has their phones and other devices tucked away so they can be aware of moving vehicles. Don’t jaywalk. Use crosswalks and obey traffic signals. Look both ways when crossing and never do it from between parked cars, where drivers may not see you (and the little ones). If your children are old enough to go on their own, make sure they tell you which streets they’ll be visiting.
- Check all candy afterwards. Make it a fun not scary event, but thoroughly inspect each piece of candy your child wants to eat.
- Call the police and file a claim if you’re vandalized. If your car or home gets attacked, you’ll want to call the police right away to file a report. Also, take photos of the damage and have surveillance footage if possible. Report the claims to your insurance company as soon as you can. If your home or car is not yet insured, make sure to call an Insurance Specialist at 1-888-772-4247 to get multiple quotes in one brief phone call.
The information in this article was obtained from various sources. This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements, nor is it intended to replace manuals or instructions provided by the manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional. The definitions, terms and coverage in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.
