Halloween Safety Tips

Courtesy AAA

By Al Sunshine, SouthFloridaReporter.com, Consumer Investigator, Oct. 28, 2015 – If you think Halloween this year may be safer than years past because it’s over the weekend…..think again. Triple-A says Weekend Holidays can be even worse than during the week. They have a warniing that could potentilly save lives:

Motorists

Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

Slow down and be especially alert in residential areas. Children may unexpectedly dart out in the street or from between parked cars.

Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs. In dark costumes, they will be harder to see at night

Turn on your headlights to make yourself more visible – even in the daylight.

Drive sober. Over 40 percent of fatal crashes on Halloween night involve a drunk driver. Always designate a sober driver if you plan to drink.

Parents

Parents are encouraged to walk children door to door while trick-or-treating, showing children safe places to cross the street.

Ensure an adult or older, responsible youth is available to supervise children under age 12
Buckle up. If driving trick-or-treaters between neighborhoods, always use appropriate car seats and have children exit and enter on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Bring a flashlight to help trick-or-treaters see and be seen.

Pick a costume that is safe for your child to move in and see out of. Buy costumes and wigs labeled “flame resistant.”

Trick-or-Treaters

Cross the street and corners using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look both ways between crossing and keep an eye on the road while you are crossing.

Wear light colored clothing or costumes with reflective material or tape for the best visibility. Consider using nontoxic face paint instead of masks to avoid obstructing vision.

Stay in familiar neighborhoods.Only visit homes that have the porch light on and never go into a stranger’s house.

Always have an adult check your treats before you eat. Discard anything that looks like it has been unwrapped or tampered with.

For additional tips to keep Halloween safe, visit Halloween Safety

Al Sunshine is a South Florida-based Broadcast and Digital Journalist whose career has spanned more than 40 years at the local and national levels. His award-winning investigations have triggered more than a dozen state and local consumer protection laws and his work’s been cited in Congressional Testimony before the U-S House of Representatives. He is best known for his “Shame On You” features for CBS Miami which sought to expose businesses, agencies and individuals defrauding or deceiving consumers, as well as endangering the safety and welfare of the general public. In 2013 Al retired from CBS Miami to set up his own Digital News Business, “Sunshine News, LLC” and Al continues to blog for the Radio, Television, Digital News Association, sponsors of the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Awards”. An avid environmentalist, Al is one of the founding members of the “Miami Pine Rocklands Coalition”. The Florida Non-Profit is fighting to save and restore the last 2% of Pine Rocklands found only in South Florida and nowhere else in the continental United States. Al was recently elected its President.