Community Corner

Keep Safe This Halloween

Whether you're partying this weekend or trick-or-treating Monday (or both), here are some tips to stay out of harm's way.

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 your self 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, reported The Hour.

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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 Greenwich Police Department in a press release said youngsters are particularly vulnerable as pedestrians on Halloween.

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"The pedestrian skills of children are limited by several factors related to their physical size and developmental stage. For instance, young children may lack the physical ability to cross a street quickly, and their small size limits their visibility to drivers," Greenwich police said. "Children are likely to choose the shortest rather than the safest route across streets, often darting out between parked cars. In addition, young children do not evaluate potential traffic threats effectively, cannot anticipate driver behavior, and process sensory information more slowly than adults."

Deputy Police Chief Jim Heavey said, “Don’t forget Halloween is on a weeknight this year. We hope that all motorists will be hyper-vigilant for children and pedestrians as the youngest treat-or-treaters will be out about at rush hour." He added, "Remember, Halloween is an extremely exciting kid friendly holiday, which may cause kids to act out in an unusual way. Parents need to be very careful with monitoring their children."

To help ensure that children can be seen by motorists, The Greenwich police Silver Shield Association will distribute Halloween inspired reflective necklaces for the young trick-or-treaters. While supplies last, the necklaces can be picked up from the Greenwich Police Sergeant's Desk in the lobby of the Public Safety Complex, during the day of Halloween.

Here are some safety tips 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.
  • Travel in small groups and be accompanied by an adult.
  • Carry a cell phone and know how to reach you and how to call 911 in an emergency.
  • Have their full names and phone number attached to their costumes somewhere if they are too young to remember them.
  • Only talk to trusted adults and not to strangers, even if this person knows their name, where they live, etc.
  • Have a plan set up with you, should there be a problem, or if they are put into an uncomfortable situation.
  • Use costume knives and swords that are flexible, not rigid or sharp.

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


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