With Halloween right around the corner, HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital is talking safety. There are plenty of ways parents can get comfortable with basic safety tips that can make sure their kids stay safe on their way to getting treats.  One of the biggest concerns with Halloween is traffic safety.  

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, children are more than twice as likely to be struck by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year.  

Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler says to slow down considerably during trick-or-treating hours. Taylorville’s Official Trick-or-Treat starts 5 p.m and runs until 9 p.m. Sunday, October 30th and Monday, October 31st. 

To help kids stay safe during trick-or treating, here are some tips for parents from the National Safety Council. The NSC recommends fastening reflective tape to children’s costumes and bags or give them glow sticks or a flashlight to carry, accompany young children on their trick or treating rounds in the neighborhood. If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable and agree on a time to have your child return home. Children should travel in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends. 

HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital encourages parents to teach their children to never enter a stranger’s home or car and children and adults should put their electronic devices down, keep heads up, and walk across the street only at corners or crosswalks.  

Taylorville Fire Chief Matt Adermann says that you should tell kids to only trick-or-treat at houses that are obviously welcoming trick-or-treaters. 

Tell your children not to eat any candy until they return home so they can check the candy to make sure it is wrapped as well as to help avoid food allergies. Here’s Chief Wheeler again.

For more information on a safe and happy Halloween, visit https://www.nsc.org/halloween  and also make sure you visit hshsgoodshepherd.org.