Tips for Trick-or-Treaters

Here's a scary statistic: Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Lack of visibility because of low lighting at night is a major factor in these incidents.

Keep these tips in mind when your children are out on Halloween night:

• A responsible adult should accompany young children while trick-or-treating the neighborhood rounds.

• If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable to you.

• Stay on sidewalks and out of the street as much as possible.

• Agree on a specific time children should return home.

• Teach your children never to enter a stranger's home or vehicle.

• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and to stick with their friends.

• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home, and take care to avoid any food allergies.

Find more Aurora Police Department (APD) safety tips by searching #SaferAurora on social media.

Tips for Motorists

The city of Aurora offers these additional safety tips for parents – and anyone who plans to be on the road during trick-or-treat hours:

• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.

• Enter and exit driveways and alleys extremely carefully.

• At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.

• Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving on Halloween.

Fire Prevention Tips

• Use glow sticks or battery-operated candles for jack-o’-lanterns and other Halloween decorations.

• When choosing costumes, stay away from long-trailing fabric.

• Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume.

• Teach children to stay away from open flames, including jack-o’-lanterns with candles in them.

• Keep Halloween decorations away from open flames and other heat sources, such as light bulbs and heaters.

• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations so nothing blocks escape routes. Make sure all smoke alarms are working.

If you have an emergency, please dial 911.