HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Free candy, dressing up as your favorite character and yelling trick-or-treat are not the only important things about Halloween night.
Keeping your children safe on Halloween can be made easy by following simple rules and keeping safety at the forefront of your mind.
When trick-or-treating on base during the designated hours of 6 - 9 p.m. vehicle traffic should always be your first concern. Children and parents must remain alert of cars and do what they can to avoid an accident.
“Families walking around with small children should use crosswalks and sidewalks whenever possible,” said Staff Sgt. Lauren Walker, 49th Security Forces Squadron non-commissioned in charge of police services. “Wear something reflective or have something with you that will allow you to be seen by drivers. Use a flashlight in areas that are not well lit.”
Driving around crowded streets can be especially tricky during normal trick-or-treating hours.
“I noticed more and more people are driving kids to and from trick-or-treating locations so there is more traffic which becomes a safety issue for children,” said Timothy Cahill, 49th Wing occupational safety manager. “If you are driving your kids around you need to pay extra special attention to the other kids that may be running across the street. Be extra careful. Drive extra slow.”
While there are no rules against following your children while in your car, it adds unnecessary safety risks that can easily be avoided.
“My advice for those planning to drive their cars is to park their car and walk with your children,” said Cahill. ”It’s the safest way for nobody to get hurt.”
Even after your children are done trick-or-treating they are not free of all the dangers of the night. According to Cahill, parents should always check their children’s candy before they let them eat it.
“Security Forces' main goal for Halloween night is to ensure that the children and families of Holloman Air Force Base have a fun, safe and successful Halloween trick or treating experience,” said Walker. “We want to make sure that everyone makes it home safely.“