Remember kids, safety first

Photo: Kate Bouey

City officials want everyone to be safe this Halloween

The big day is coming up quickly, and the City of Vernon Community Safety and Policing Office has a few safety reminders to make it a night of treats, where the biggest risk is a stomachache from too much candy.

• Motorists: slow down Halloween night and watch out for excited trick-or-treaters that might not be paying full attention to the road.
• Use face paint or make-up so you can see.
• If you are wearing a mask, make sure the eye openings are big so you can see, and when you are walking, push your mask up on your head.
• Make sure your costume is flame-resistant and not so long that you could trip.
• Wear bright colours. If your costume is dark, add reflective tape, a flashing reflector or something else so you can be seen.
• Make sure you have a flashlight and/or glowsticks so you can see and be seen.
• Eat before you trick-or-treat so you don’t get hungry.
• Plan your route before you leave.
• Only go to houses with a light on.
• Never go into a stranger’s house or car for a treat.
• Stop at the curb, look left, right and left again, and listen for oncoming traffic. 
• Always cross at crosswalks, street corners or intersections – it’s unsafe to cross between parked cars or other obstacles.
• Stay on the sidewalk when walking from house to house, and if there is no sidewalk, walk beside the road, facing traffic so drivers can see you.
• Obey all traffic signs.
• Carry a phone and/or a watch with you.
• Trick-or-treat with an adult or as a group. Stick together for the whole evening out.
• Never eat any candy until it has been checked by an adult.