Stay safe

Keep your children safe this Halloween with our top tips

More children are injured or killed between the ages of 5 and 14 while out walking on Halloween evening compared to other evenings of the year.

Taking part in Halloween activities can present an additional risk to young children because they are outdoors at night. This, added to the excitement of the evening, can make crossing roads a particularly dangerous task.

But most Halloween-related injuries can be prevented if children are made aware of the dangers and parents supervise younger children during trick-or-treat activities.

For adults:

• Establish a lost rendezvous point to regroup, should children stray off.
• Supervise children under age 12 especially when crossing the street.
• Feed children prior to going out so that they are less likely to want to eat the sweets collected.
• Inform the police immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.
• Prepare your own home for trick-or-treaters by clearing doorsteps, lawns, and paths (leaves and berries etc) and ensure that your property is well lit.
• Avoid giving chewing gum, nuts, or hard sweets as treats for young children.
• Never hand out money, as you may be supporting smoking or illegal drug use among older children.
• Agree a time for older children to return home by.
• Wait until children are home to sort out the treats. Though tampering is rare, you should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.

For children:

• Only trick or treat on well lit streets in your own locality and only approach houses that are well lit.
• Never enter a house unless you know the people who live there and the adult with you says it is OK.
• Never enter a car to collect treats.
• Return quickly to the lost rendezvous point if you stray from your group.
• Travel in small groups, always accompanied by an adult.
• Have your name and address attached to your costumes.
• Bring treats home before eating them so your parents can inspect them.
• Use flashlights, stay on the path, and avoid wooded areas
• Cross streets at the corner and avoid crossing between parked cars.
• Stop at all corners, stay together and cross as a group.
• Look left, right, and left again before crossing the street.
• Wear clothing that is bright, reflective, and flame retardant.
• Use face paints instead of masks (masks can obstruct vision).
• Not wear hats that could slide down over eyes.
• Avoid wearing oversized shoes, long, baggy or loose costumes to avoid falls.
• Use costume knives and swords that are flexible, not rigid or sharp.

When out on Halloween, motorists should:

• Drive slowly be extra vigilant.
• Watch out for children in the street and near parked cars.
• Be extra careful when entering or leaving driveways.
• Make sure children enter and exit cars on the path side of the car.

Is your house haunted? Take Derek Acorah's fun quiz here and find out