The Hawai‘i County Police Department is offering Halloween safety tips to ensure a fun time for children and adults this holiday.

HPD says using a few common-sense tips can help make Halloween enjoyable for everyone and is suggesting the following suggestions:

For trick-or-treaters:

• One of the most important safety tips for Halloween trick-or-treating is having adult supervision of children at all times, especially when there is vehicle traffic. Not having an adult looking out or monitoring your children may also be a violation of the law.
• Another safety tip for Halloween is making sure that your child’s costume is safe. Costumes should fit right to prevent tripping and heat exhaustion, should allow for clear and unobstructed vision, and be highly visible.
• Parents, along with children, should have flashlights readily available to illuminate walking surfaces at night, as well as to provide a warning to motorist of your location from a greater distance. Having glow type sticks attached to your child’s costume is another way to increase their visibility at night.
• Parents and trick-or-treaters should stick to trick-or-treating in neighborhoods that they are familiar with and stay away from homes with poor lighting to prevent falls and injury. Unfamiliar homes can also be dangerous as there might be dogs on the property which may bite unsuspecting children.
• Once trick-or-treating is done, parents should examine the candy which their child has received to make sure it was not tampered with and is safe to eat. Parents should also stress to their kids to not eat any candy that has not been checked by them while they are trick-or-treating.

For drivers traveling on Hawai‘i Island roads:

• Do not drink and drive. Have a sober driver or call for a ride.
• Avoid using handheld electronic devices. Using an electronic device while operating a vehicle is a crime and very unsafe.
• Slow down in areas where pedestrians are likely to be or where sight distances are limited. Keep your windshield clean.

For pedestrians walking on our island streets:

• Walk on a sidewalk if one is available. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic, as far to the side as safely possible so you can move quickly out of the road if you feel threatened by traffic.
• Follow the rules of the road at driveways and intersections. Cross with a traffic signal if there is one, and even if you have the right of way, make sure traffic has stopped or passed before you step into the street.
• Before the Halloween festivities begin, plan a way to get home safely at the end of the night.

 

 

AP Photo