Community Corner

Hey Kids! Be Safe When You Get Your Ghoul On

Look ghastly, but keep safe on this frightening holiday.

The young’uns are looking forward to dressing up and trick-or-treating Monday, and the older kids are looking forward to dressing up and partying this weekend.

While Halloween provides the No.1 excuse to disguise yourself as someone or something else for a night (or for a few nights) and let loose, it also presents a danger to pedestrians. And on Halloween, the streets are filled with many a pedestrian, young and old.

The AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety released the results of a pedestrian fatality study conducted from 2000-2009 and found that Halloween is the deadliest night of the year for those taking to the streets on foot, The Hour reported.

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Though alarming, it’s not a reason to keep your little ghouls and boys packed inside for the night. Instead, the organization urges motorists and walkers to be ultra-vigilant on All Hallows’ Eve.

The Fairfield Police and Fire Departments echoed in a press release the foundation’s warnings.

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“Halloween can be filled with surprise and enjoyment, but it can also hold danger and hazards,” said .

added that most injuries “are preventable if parents and children are prepared and use caution.”

Both chiefs urged drivers to “go slow, slow, slow all evening.”

The chiefs also encourage partygoers to choose designated drivers for the commutes to and from parties this weekend.

Here are 12 more tips from the chiefs for all the goblins and monsters, young and old, who eagerly anticipate the howl-iday:

  • Walk on sidewalks, not in the streets.
  • Look both ways before crossing the street.
  • Cross only at street corners.
  • Don’t hide or cross the street between parked cars.
  • Wear light-colored or reflective clothing to be more visible.
  • Plan a route and share it with family members, preferably bringing an adult along.
  • Carry a flashlight to light the path.
  • Keep away from open flame and candles.
  • Visit homes that have porch lights on.
  • Accept treats at the door and never enter the house.
  • Be cautious of strangers.
  • Have an adult inspect your treats before eating, and don’t eat candy if the package has been opened.

Have a happy and safe Halloween weekend—ditto for Halloween!


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