Tips to help you make sure that Halloween doesn’t end up being scary

As much as children love to go trick-or-treating and the resulting stash of candy, Halloween can be ghoulish if precautions by homeowners and drivers aren’t taken.

Halloween safety tips!

1. Clear the path to your door – Reduce the chance that a trick-or-treater will slip and fall on your property by ensuring that the path to your door is well lit and clear of all obstacles.
2. Clear the yard – Chances are, some kids are going to try to get from house to house as quickly as possible by taking short cuts across your yard. Help them stay on their feet by putting away toys, garden hoses, or anything else that you may have on your front lawn.
3. Make sure your pets are in the house. With all the activity, pets can easily get spooked possibly causing harm to themselves or others. Generally, it’s suggested that it is best to keep dogs or cats in a separate room while trick-or-treaters are coming to your door.
4. Avoid using real candles in your jack-o’-lanterns. Minimize the risk of a fire or injury and use a flashlight or battery operated candle instead of a real flame.
5. Make sure all decorations are away from lights and fire. Keep decorations away from all open flames as well as lights that can get hot.
6. Minimize the chance your home will be vandalized. Bring your pumpkin in (along with any other decorations), keep your property well lit, and make sure you lock up when the night is over.
7. Drive with care. If you must drive on Halloween be mindful that children are excited about trick-or-treating and may not always remember to look both ways before crossing the street. Drive slowly and watch for kids at the usual crossing sections and crosswalks but also mid-block too.
8. Enter and leave your driveway slowly. Excited kids running down the sidewalk can come out of nowhere quickly. Proceed with caution when turning into your driveway or when leaving to go out.
9. Don’t drive distracted or impaired. It should go without saying, but don’t drive impaired. Also, put away the phone, turn down the music and scan the road (and sidewalks) ahead to be ready for the unexpected.
10. If you have a garage, park your car in it for the night. Minimize the threat of vandalism to your car and put the car in the garage.
11. If you don’t have a garage, park your car where you can see it. You’ll want to make sure you can see your car from your home easily. This way you’ll be able to keep an eye on it and your ears open for any weird “bumps in the night”.
12. Lock your car doors and keep “treats” out of sight. Don’t make it easy for would-be thieves or vandals. Lock your car doors and make sure anything of value is removed from the car or is out of sight in the trunk.

Just because Halloween celebrates scary things doesn’t mean you want any scares of your own. With a few precautions you can ensure everyone has a frightfully fun time.
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