Ghosts and goblins beware, this hallowed eve is not free of danger. Tricks, instead of treats, can be limited to harmless pranks this Halloween with a little extra care.
When planning both costumes and routes this year, makes sure you take these things into consideration:
- a little reflective tape can go a long way towards making sure your vampire sparkles and can be seen at night;
- don’t make the night a different kind of scary, before covering their sweet little faces with paint or make-up, do a quick test to make sure their skin won’t react;
- create a wolf pack – gather the ghoulish together for both personal safety and visibility for drivers;
- costume check for the five senses – can they see through their mask, can they breathe unimpeded, can they touch the ground without tripping over parts of their costume, do they feel warm enough to be outside for an hour or more, can they taste sweet victory as their bag fills with candy;
- Drivers beware, the scary part is how quickly a child can pop up out of nowhere. Drive slowly and with extra caution in residential areas during prime trick or treat hours;
- Staying home? Protect your car from those seeking to trick. Statistically vehicle vandalism is only higher on New Year’s Day;
- Make sure Jack O’Lantern is a modern guy – battery candles or a flashlight make a safe alternative to an open flame.
Avoid being the person screaming the Banshee cry by heeding the advice above. This Halloween may your only true scare be from how much you gain after nibbling the treats and goodies that always seem to linger after the holidays.
Information courtesy of ICBC, IBC and the Government of Canada