October 31st will be here before we know it. Even if you feel like celebrating Halloween is itself a crime, it pays to know how to keep ourselves safe on a day when crime is on the upswing. According to Travelers Insurance, in 2016 crime-related claims spiked 24% on Halloween. Halloween is certainly known for its treats, but becoming a victim of a crime is a pretty dirty trick. Here are five must-follow tips to keep your kids and yourself safer this Halloween.
- ADULT SUPERVISION REQUIRED
I remember having a full-on free range childhood, including one year of trick or treating with no direct adult supervision. But that was back in the dark ages. We just don’t live in that world anymore. If you think your kids are old enough to go it alone, then they are too old to be trick or treating.
2. NEVER LET KIDS ENTER STRANGERS’ HOMES
This pretty much goes for any day of the year, but it’s easy for kids to let their guards down when they are excited and distracted. Of course, if you follow tip number one, this shouldn’t be a problem. Not everyone with treats is a nice person. We hate to think about things like this, but some really twisted people use this holiday as a way to lure children into their web.
3. DON’T EAT HOMEMADE TREATS FROM STRANGERS
I wish this one didn’t have to be a rule because most people aren’t out to hurt kids. The problem is, you can’t tell the ones who are just by looking at them. Even with pre-packed treats, always check for signs of tampering which means no eating while trick-or-treating!
- DRINKING AND DRIVING ARE UP
Halloween parties where alcohol is served, coupled with darkness falling earlier and scores of pedestrians wandering around – what could go wrong? Be on the alert as you are out and about for cars that are going too fast or are weaving in and out of their lane.
- KEEP YOUR HOME SAFE
When we think about Halloween we think about kids committing small, prank-related acts of vandalism involving large amounts of toilet paper. But Halloween also brings an increase in theft from the home, including breaking and entering. Leave lights on inside and out, lock up, and clear valuables out of your car.
If your kids are dressing up as a princess or a cowboy or a space alien and asking for candy, just be sure that their evening is as safe as you can make it. Whether we’re trick or treating or not, let’s all look out for our neighbors. That’s the best safety tip of all!
If you love safety tips, keep an eye out for my book “How to Kick Fear to the Curb: Private Investigator Approved Personal Safety Tips with Biblical Evidence to ‘Fear Not'” coming to Amazon November 1st!