Tips for a Fun and Safe Halloween

Halloween can be an exciting time of year for many, but requires some safety precautions too. The staff at Big Mike Naughton Ford, your Denver area Ford dealer, wants you to have a fun and safe Halloween so here are some helpful safety tips we wanted to share.

1. Remember a flashlight when you take the kids out trick-or-treating.  This will help to alert oncoming traffic that you are crossing the street, keep you aware of your surroundings, and allow you to see any potential tripping hazards.

2. Make sure to remind your children about the need for basic traffic and curb etiquette.  In their excitement, they may forget basic pedestrian safety rules.

3. If your kids have dark-colored costumes, make sure to add some reflective materials, such as reflective tape, to make them visible to traffic.

4. Speaking of costumes, always make sure that your child’s costume is well-fitted and does not have the possibility of making them trip or affecting their vision.  Reconsider costumes with a mask that will affect a child's ability to see or hear.

5. Children under the age of 13 should have adult supervision while they are out trick-or-treating.  If your child is over the age of 13, make sure they trick-or-treat in a group and only stay in areas of the neighborhood that are familiar to them.  It is a good time to remind children to never get in a car with strangers and don't forget to set a curfew for older children.

6. Feed your children a filling meal before they go trick-or-treating so that they are not as tempted to eat candy as they go.  Do not allow any candy munching until you have arrived home and had the opportunity to inspect the treats for signs of tampering.

7.  Not excited about the idea of taking your child trick-or-treating?  How about 'trunk or treat' instead?  Many local churches and community groups offer this alternative so parents can take their child from car trunk to car trunk to receive treats.  Some malls also offer alternatives such as the Town Center at Aurora's Mall-o-ween event.

Halloween can be a fun-filled day for the whole family if there is knowledge on how to safely celebrate the holiday.  Have fun and be safe!