October 17, 2005 Safety Tips Can Scare Away Unsafe Trick-or-Treating

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Oct 17, 2005 -

Baton Rouge --- Children across Louisiana are making plans for creating the perfect costume and mapping out which houses to stop at for the best Halloween treats. In this midst of these trick-or-treating preparations, state health officials remind parents to help their children incorporate safety into their Halloween activities.

“Many people, especially children, are looking forward to having fun this Halloween,” said Department of Health Secretary Dr. Fred Cerise. “However, we want to make sure this holiday is happy, safe and enjoyable for everyone, so we are reminding parents of the importance of following some basic safety tips.”

LDH first reminds citizens to check the local trick-or-treating guidelines established by their city or parish governments and follow those rules this Halloween.

Some tips to follow for safe trick-or-treating include:

Costumes

• Make sure the costume is short and well-fitted. Baggy, loose clothing can trip children and poses a great risk if the child is exposed to fire. It also is important to avoid wearing oversized shoes (i.e. clown shoes), as those can lead to dangerous falls. Make sure the eyeholes in children’s masks are big enough so they can see oncoming traffic and other people walking near them.
• Make sure costume props are flexible. Do not allow children to use props such as swords, knives guns unless these items are made of rubber or plastic.
  

Streets

• Wear bright colors so that oncoming drivers can easily see the child in the dark.
• Glow-in-the dark stickers also can be added to dark costumes to make them more visible.
• Do not let children younger than 13 trick or treat without an adult. If older children are going out alone, make sure they are using a buddy system.
• Make sure children practice proper safety rules when crossing streets. They must look both ways before stepping into the street and should not step between parked cars.

Candy

• Do not allow your children to eat their trick-or-treat candy until you have examined it.

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