Follow these tips for a safe Halloween

With Halloween soon upon us, Vanderbilt University Public Safety is sharing guidelines with the VU community to promote a safe and enjoyable holiday.

  • Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and to stick with parents or friends.
  • Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home, and to take care to avoid any food allergies.
  • Children and adults are reminded to put electronic devices down, keep heads up, and walk—don’t run—across streets.
  • Wear protective masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Costume safety

  • All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant.
  • If children are allowed out after dark, fasten reflective tape to their costumes and bags, or give them glow sticks.
  • Opt for non-toxic Halloween makeup over masks, which are not recommended to be worn over protective face masks and can obscure vision. Always test makeup on a small area of the skin to see if any irritation develops.
  • Remove all makeup before children go to bed to prevent skin and eye irritation.

While trick-or-treating

  • A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds.
  • If your older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable to you.
  • Agree on a specific time that children should return home.

Safety tips for motorists

  • Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
  • Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
  • At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.
  • Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving on Halloween.

For more safety tips, visit the National Safety Council website at www.nsc.org.