Although Halloween in Pittsburgh is fun for both adults and children, there are certain safety tips that should always be followed. Along with good people dressing up, trick or treating for candy, and going to parties, there are bad people that intentionally do things wrong. That coupled with dark and crowded streets, challenging costumes, and various types of goodies, it is important to follow a few safety rules.
Staying Safe on Halloween
- Costumes Especially for small children, it is important to choose costumes that fit well and are made from nonhazardous materials. Oversized costumes pose risks. For instance, if a mask does not fit a childs face properly, eye holes become blocked and breathing is difficult. A large costume also increases the risk of a child falling, getting stuck on something, or even dragging too close to a lit candle. The costume material is also critical. You want a nonflammable costume for your child made with quality material that is comfortable to wear.
- Reflective Tape or Light Because streets and pathways are dark on Halloween, be sure costumes are decorated with reflective tape or that your child carries a glow stick, flashlight, or some other type of light.
- Face Paint When using face paint, be sure it is high quality and nontoxic.
- Supervision Even young teenagers within a group need supervision when going out on Halloween. As the parent or guardian, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of your child at all ages. For older kids, you can walk behind them to stay relatively out-of-sight, but at no time should children of any age be allowed to trick-or-treat alone. Sadly, while Halloween is an exciting holiday for most people, to some it creates the perfect opportunity to commit a crime.
- Restricted Hours Typically, children trick-or-treat between 6 and 9 p.m. Experts recommend setting a specific timeframe for getting candy and then sticking to it.
- Candy and Other Treats Once your children are done trick-or-treating, take time to go through the candy and other treats. Sometimes candy is too hard or small for a young child. You should also toss out any homemade goodies unless they came from someone that you know and trust.
Hiring a Limousine
To make this Halloween even more special, you can hire a limo company to take you and a group of friends to a party. Not only will you arrive in style, you have the assurance of reaching your destination and home safely, especially after consuming alcoholic beverages.