Safety tips for trick or treaters and parents on the spookiest night of the year

Halloween night is a day most kids and parents look forward to. While getting candy and having a spooky time is the name of the game, it's important to stay safe when on the prowl for sugary goods.

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Halloween tips for drivers

CTV News Edmonton spoke with Crystal Vercholuk, a community engagement specialist for the Alberta Motor Association, about the steps drivers and kids can take in order to keep Halloween night a safe space for everyone.

"We want to make sure that if you're out there in the residential neighborhoods, whether you're just driving through or whether you're chaperoning children, make sure your lights are on, minimize your distractions within the vehicle," Vercholuk said.

"Make eye contact with the pedestrians when they're crossing, and keep a close eye when you're driving past parked cars, just in case there's anybody that might be running out from between them," she added.

A good habit to keep in mind, both on Halloween and every other day, is to drive slowly in residential areas and be mindful of your surroundings.

Tips for trick or treaters

Being seen is one of the best ways to keep safe; adding reflective tape to your costume, donning wearable flashlights and even throwing on a glowstick will keep you visible when crossing the street at night.

Vercholuk also said it's just as important to see than being seen.

"Make sure that your kids can see. Kids are pretty committed to their costumes at this point in the day, but make sure that if they are wearing a mask or like one of those inflatable costumes, that they can see where they're going."

Tripping hazards, such as tails, capes or props can cause harm but simply pinning them to your costume is an easy fix for the problem.

Staying among a group of friends or your family while trick or treating is an easy way to stay safe. Groups stopping at well-lit homes are another way to keep safe during Halloween night.

Vercholuk said that having a planned route is helpful for both kids and their parents and to schedule a check-in time so both parties know how the night is going.

Another caution trick or treaters should be aware of is if someone invites you inside their home or vehicle to warm up. Vercholuk said it's best to decline the invite, leave the area immediately and report the incident to a parent or a person of trust.

When the night is done

After a successful night of trick or treating, the kids will want to rush home to devour as much candy as humanly possible, plus a few more chocolates for good measure. There's one more danger that can cause some serious harm if ignored: damaged goods.

Parents should go through the entire haul of candy and throw away anything that has damaged packaging. Candies with damaged packaging could just be simply that, or it could be a sign or someone tampering with the delicious treat for malicious reasons.

A note for parents: trust your gut. If a candy sends you any kind of warning signs, throw it away. Out of a whole night of collecting candy from around the neighbourhood, your child won't care about the few pieces of candy thrown in the garbage.

Although there might be kids in spooky costumes pretending to be gruesome characters out looking to hit the mother lode of candy tonight, being cautious and taking steps for a safer experience is the endgame.

Here's one more safety tip for the road: try not to eat all your candy at once.