Police, firefighters offer tips for safe, happy Halloween

Halloween is here, and that means children will be donning costumes and heading door to door to enjoy the time-honored tradition of free candy acquisition.

Trick-or-treating is usually a blast for both children and parents alike, but safety is the key to making sure Halloween stays happy. The Lockhart Police Department and Lockhart Fire Rescue offer the following tips designed to leave the trickiness out of trick-or-treating.

• Trick or treat with an adult and in groups.
• Cross the street at corners using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Make sure to put your electronic devices away and keep your focus on the sidewalk/traffic.
• Don’t run across streets.
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing.
• Have a planned route and designated meeting spot.
• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Carry a flashlight or glow stick, but never a lit candle, torch or any other kind of object with an open flame.
• Avoid long costumes to help prevent trips and falls and choose costumes with fabric labels that read “flame resistant” or “flame retardant,” and keep a close eye on your child because even flame-resistant fabric can burn.
• Drivers, please slow down in residential neighborhoods.
• Drivers should also take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Have an adult check all candy to make certain it’s safe.
• Don’t go into strangers’ homes.
• Children are naturally drawn to glowing jack-o’-lanterns and other flickering lights. Battery-powered candles are a safer alternative to lighting up your jack-o’-lantern to lit candles.