Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley wants everyone to have an exciting and safe Halloween holiday and has issued a set of Halloween safety tips to help reduce crime and accidents during Halloween.
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- Choose costumes that are bright and contain reflective material.
- Add a reflective stripe if necessary to make your child more visible to drivers.
- Carry a glow stick or glow necklace to be more visible.
- Avoid costumes that cover a child’s head and may prevent them from seeing a vehicle or other hazard.
- Remember toy guns look real. Choose costumes that do not contain guns or weapons.
The sheriff also suggests that parents should:
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- Accompany young children when they go trick-or-treating.
- Carry a flashlight, cell phone and first aid kit.
- Teach children how to dial 9-1-1 if they encounter an emergency.
- Plan a route with your children and agree on a time to “check-in” with family.
- Only let children trick-or-treat in neighborhoods parents are familiar with and only to houses with front porch lights on.
- Caution children to never enter a person’s home while trick-or-treating.
- See that trick-or-treaters cross streets at intersections only.
- Have trick-or-treaters eat dinner before going out, or take a snack from home. Do not allow your children to eat any candy unless, checked by an adult first. Any unwrapped items should be discarded.
- Before you allow your child to knock on any door, become better informed. Check the Ascension Parish Sex Offender Registry website at https://ascensionsheriff.com/LASexOffendersSearch.aspx
Learn who lives in the houses you plan to visit. Be cautious rather than sorry! - Notify your neighborhood watch groups of the trick-or-treating” times, and have them walk the neighborhoods to look out for children.
- “Halloween also poses special challenges for people who will be driving while trick-or-treaters are out,” Sheriff Wiley said.
Some suggestions:
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- Drive slowly (with lights on) and defensively all evening.
- No one should drive a vehicle while wearing a Halloween mask of any type.
- Be cautious, because youngsters may dart out in front of you at anytime.
- Obey all traffic signals, both as a driver and a pedestrian.
- Driving under the influence laws will be strictly enforced, so make sure you have a designated driver.
- Persons under the age of 21 should not drink any alcoholic beverage.