Safety first: Police issue tips for Halloween night

The Southold Town Police Department and AAA are urging parents, motorists and children to be in safety mode this Halloween.

Police Chief Martin Flatley and AAA New York offer the following tips for trick-or-treaters:

• Be bright at night: use reflective tape on costumes and treat bags, wear light colors and carry flashlights with fresh batteries for extra visibility.
• Don’t wear a costume that obstructs vision. Instead of masks, try nontoxic face paint.
• Look all ways and listen for traffic before crossing, and review pedestrian safety rules before you leave the house.
• Cross at corners, not between parked cars or mid-block.
• If there are no sidewalks, always walk facing traffic, on the left side of the road.
• Younger children should always be accompanied by an adult or trustworthy teen; older children should be given boundaries and should communicate with their parents along the way.

AAA recommends the following tips for motorists:

• If possible, avoid cutting through residential areas where trick-or-treaters are likely to be present.
• Obey all traffic signs and signals, and travel with caution in residential areas.
• Scan far ahead and watch attentively for children who may run from house to house or cross at unexpected places.