Wednesday night, Oct. 31, will be a night of activities throughout communities everywhere. Many churches will have Trunk or Treats. In fact, Mission Community Church will be having one from 6 to 8 p.m. and you are invited. There will also be trick-or-treaters out and about on neighborhood streets. With all this increased exposure, let’s talk about safety measures.
I want to start out with the children who will be wearing costumes and walking the streets. It is important that children wear reflective material or flashing lights on costumes. Parents should walk with their children always. Parents should have flashlights and should accompany their children up to the doorway. Although motorists are supposed to yield the right of way to pedestrians, do not stake your life or the lives of your children on that. Well-lit areas are better than dark areas, if possible.
The drivers of motor vehicles carry the greatest amount of responsibility when driving the streets, especially on Halloween night. If you must drive, a child can run out in front of you at any moment. Drive slower, especially in neighborhoods. The driver is responsible for avoiding the pedestrian.
Check all candy. There are some locations in the area that will check your candy for you. It is vital that you do this. The large majority of the candy will be fine, but check it anyway. Many churches will be doing events where plenty of candy will be given out.
Concerning safe events at churches, do not let your guard down. You must keep an eye on your children always. Accidents happen every day. Hayrides must be checked for safety. Tractors and trailers are not usually well-lit. Tractor operators must exercise extreme caution if using public roadways for any part of their route. If possible, a supervising adult should be on the trailer. Do not let your children go unsupervised no matter where your family happens to go.
Take nothing for granted as you go out on Halloween. Be careful of the live candles in pumpkins. Do not let one of these burn the front porch of your home. Be careful with live candles inside of your house as well.
Think about the safety of your family. I do not want to read about any incident where a preventable accident caused someone to be injured or killed.
Have a safe Halloween.
