5 Halloween safety tips for teens

Sep 26, 2011 7:07 AM by Molly Cerreta Smith

Posted in Holidays & Seasons / Halloween / Halloween Kid Safety

Bring a flashlight and a cell phone

Before you head out on your trick-or-treating adventure, tuck a flashlight into your candy bag. Most of your neighborhood streets may be well lit enough that you'll never have to use it. But you never know when you might venture down a dark road or a street with fewer street lamps, especially if your costume is dark. Better to have it and never use it than not bring it and wish you had!

Make sure you let your parents know where you're going to be; give them a quick call or text throughout the night to let them know all is well, and if you have to be a little late for any reason, let them know.

Stay in a group

Never trick-or-treat alone, especially late at night. Stay in a group of friends, and if you are in a really large group, make sure everyone in the group picks a "buddy" to keep track of throughout the night so you all come home safely together and no one gets lost.

Obey traffic laws

Halloween night usually means tons of kids peppering the neighborhood streets, but it's important to remember that cars still rule the road. If you are in a high-traffic area, always go to the crosswalk to cross the street. If you are perusing your neighborhood streets, remember to still look both ways before crossing. Be sure to stay on the sidewalk unless you are crossing. Never walk in the middle of the road, even on a small residential street. Some cars' engines are so quiet that you simply might not a hear a car coming. And if the driver is not paying attention or simply can't see you in the dark of the night, that could spell trouble.

Never go into a stranger's home or eat unwrapped candy

Halloween is the one night of the year that it's okay to accept candy from people you don't know -- but you should never eat anything that has been unwrapped or never initially wrapped in the first place. Also, even if a neighbor seems nice and invites you into their home -- even for a few minutes -- respectfully decline. You should never go into a stranger's home.

Be home by curfew

Curfews set by both the city and your parents are made for a reason -- your safety. Even though Halloween is a special occasion, be sure to obey the rules and be home by curfew.