Innisfail RCMP is urging drivers, parents and trick-or-treaters to practise safety during the Halloween season.
Const. Rick Buisseret suggested children to do whatever they can to ensure they are visible when they head out on the hunt for candy on Oct. 31.
“Be safe--use crosswalks,” Buisseret, the local school liaison officer, said. “Make yourself visible. If you don’t have a bright-coloured costume put reflective tape on it so the drivers can see you.”
Another of Buisseret’s suggestions was to avoid taking a shortcut across people’s lawns when going from house to house.
“Use the sidewalks,” he said. “A lot of kids tend to trip on downspouts and lawn ornaments in people’s yards.”
When you have to cross a street, do so at the corner where you are more visible to drivers, Buisseret added.
“When kids are darting out between the vehicles parked in between intersections, drivers aren’t expecting pedestrians to be coming from in between the cars,” he said. “A normal thing for drivers is to look for pedestrians at the corner.”
Never enter the home or a vehicle belonging to someone you don’t know, Buisseret said.
“That’s a big one in terms of safety,” he said.
Other safety tips for trick-or-treaters include:
• Carry a flashlight so you can see where you are going.
• Walk, don’t run.
• Keep to the sidewalk, or the left side of the road facing traffic in areas where there aren’t any.
• Stick to neighbourhoods that are familiar to you.
• Wear a watch that can be read in the dark.
• Ensure your costume does not drag, which could pose a tripping hazard.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• If you can, wear makeup instead of a mask. A mask significantly reduces your vision.
• Carry flexible knives, swords or other props.
• Obey traffic signals.
• Only approach houses that have their lights on.
• Steer clear of pets you do not know.
• Trick-or-treat in groups.
The Alberta Motor Association (AMA) released its own safety tips for drivers, parents and homeowners.
AMA encouraged drivers to expect the unexpected, make eye contact with pedestrians, stay focused behind the wheel, and never drink and drive.
Buisseret said RCMP members will be out patrolling all night and there is a possibility they could be handing out candy.
