Police offer Halloween safety tips for your children
With Halloween fast approaching, the Southold Town Police Department is once again urging parents to teach their children safety tips before they head out trick-or-treating.
“On Halloween evening, we’re placing our children in probably some of the most dangerous traffic situations you could imagine,” said Police Chief Martin Flatley in a press release issued by the department this week. “Our children are outside after dark, they walk along and cross unfamiliar streets and they often wear dark colors which are difficult for motorists to see.”
The police department is distributing the Automobile Association of America’s Halloween activity sheets and bookmarks to students in town.
“Although Halloween lands on a Monday this year, many festivities are expected to take place throughout the weekend, putting a large number of both youth and adult partygoers on the road at that time,” said AAA Assistant Director of Traffic Safety Donna Galasso in the press release.
Chief Flatley urges parents and children to heed these tips from AAA New York:
• 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.
• Look all ways and listen for traffic before crossing.
• 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 also offers these suggestions for adult partygoers and party hosts:
• Make advance plans to get home safely. Use a designated driver or call a cab.
• Party hosts should be sure to take care of designated drivers and offer alternatives to alcohol.
• Plan travel routes carefully. Try to avoid cutting through residential areas that will likely have a large number of trick-or-treaters.
