Halloween Safety: Seven Tips to Keep Your Home and Kids Safe
Dressing up in costumes and collecting candy from the neighborhood is a cherished part of childhood. That’s why it’s so important to keep safety in mind each Halloween; this special day can be ruined by suffering an accident or being victimized by criminals. Follow these guidelines to make trick-or-treating a safe and enjoyable activity.
Traffic Safety
Kids running across streets from house to house is a tragedy waiting to happen. If you are going with your kids, make sure that they stay with you and do not dart into the street without looking. If your kids are old enough to go trick-or-treating on their own, make sure that they know the rules of traffic safety. Instruct them to stay away from any busy, high-speed roads.
Don’t Answer the Door Late at Night
This advice should be followed year round, but it’s especially important on Halloween. Criminals sometimes knock on the door pretending to be a child seeking some last-minute candy handouts. Once you open the door, they will force their way in. Turning off the porch light to signify that you are no longer passing out candy should deter any legitimate trick-or-treaters from knocking on your door, so anyone who does knock should be regarded with extreme caution.
Select a Safe Costume
Wearing a spooky costume is the best part of Halloween for many kids, but it’s important that the costume is safe. Examine any masks or headgear to ensure that they do not impede vision. A mask that constrains the field of view will not allow a child to properly look for cars before crossing the street. In addition, try to incorporate bright, reflective colors into your child’s costume. A costume comprised entirely of dark colors is nearly invisible to motorists. You can give your child a flashlight or glow stick to improve visibility.
Avoid Strangers
The risk of children coming in contact with dangerous people is still present on Halloween. There have been reports of children being invited into cars or lured into a house under the guise of attending a party. Make your kids aware that they are not to get into a car or enter the house of a stranger under any circumstances. There are usually police officers patrolling trick-or-treat areas; instruct your kids to notify one of them if a suspicious stranger is harassing them.
Restrict Trick-or-treating to Safe Areas
When designating trick-or-treating areas for your kids, select a safe neighborhood, ideally your own, whether that be in Coral Gables, Miami Beach, or Doral. The crooks who roam the streets of bad neighborhoods don’t become friendly citizens just because it’s Halloween. If your own neighborhood is unsafe, you can drive your kids to the neighborhood of a friend or relative. Also remind your kids not to cut through yards, alleys, or other low-visibility areas. The safest place to be is on a well-lit street with lots of other trick-or-treaters around.
Keep Pets Inside
We often think that our pets are safe in a fenced backyard, but the sad truth is that some cruel individuals get a thrill out of abusing animals, and they have no qualms about abducting family pets. These incidents seem to spike around Halloween. Although black cats are the most frequent victims of such cruelty, pets of all kinds should be kept inside. Furthermore, dogs will probably become excited over all the people walking the streets and make a nuisance with their incessant barking.
Secure Your Home
You might expect criminals to take the night off due to the presence of so many potential witnesses. However, they may actually blend in easier with the hustle and bustle of Halloween. One reason for this is that they can wear a mask without arousing any suspicion. Plus, someone who sees a criminal prowling around a house might think that they are committing a harmless prank rather than a burglary. Before Halloween, make sure you have an alarm installed by a ADT home security specialist in Miami. Most South Florida alarm systems from ADT Pinecrest residents choose are equipped with motion-activated lights. These are quite effective at throwing light on a prowling thief. The sudden illumination usually sends them running to avoid detection.
Nobody wants to see their child harmed in any way or their home violated, especially on a holiday that is supposed to be a night of family fun. These tips are easy to follow, and they don’t take any of the enjoyment out of trick-or-treating. By following this advice, you can make sure that this Halloween is safe and exciting.
