Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — Ghosts and goblins aside, the amount of jaywalking alone that goes on during a typical Halloween can be scary and dangerous. In Limestone, Halloweens have typically been pretty safe according to Limestone Chief of Police Stacey Mahan, though there are certain proactive precautions parents and trick-or-treaters can make to ensure that the candy-crazed evening is a safe one.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re 2 or 22, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got some reflective material on if you’re going to be in the streets,” Chief Mahan said.
In the pandemonium created by a group of youths who’ve ingested one-too-many Pixie Sticks, groups of trick-or-treaters tend to pay more attention to what goodies they’ve received and which house they’re going to next as opposed to paying attention to traffic.
“That can be a big problem in that they’re not always going to be paying attention to where they’re walking and the things that are going on around them,” Mahan said, stating the importance of visibility. He suggested carrying a flashlight and making a point to be visible not only to the cars, but to the homes the candy-seekers visit. “If the trick-or-treaters are going to be outside, the costumes should have some sort of reflective material,” he added.
While half the fun of Halloween is going door to door collecting treats and showing off one’s costume, a big part of the fun comes from dumping out the candy collecting vessel and assessing the spoils of the night. Before the candy is piled up atop a kitchen table or a bedroom floor, it should be thoroughly checked.
“In this area, and certainly in a town like Limestone where almost everybody knows everyone, there isn’t too much fear in worrying whether a child is going to get something inappropriate in their candy bag,” Mahan said, “but you always want to take that extra step to make sure that the candy is safe.”
He also added that parents should search candy bags for anything that looks like it’s been opened, re-sealed, or tampered with in any way. They should also make sure that the candy is age appropriate, avoiding hard candy that small youths could potentially choke on.
“Parents should always check their children’s candy bags before the kid gets to look through it and decide what they’re going to eat,” Mahan added. He also suggested that the best time for trick-or-treaters of all ages to spook their bags full of candy is between supper time and 8 p.m.
With trick-or-treaters of all ages roaming the streets in search of candy bars and lollypops, the Limestone Police Department always adds a bit extra to their patrol to make sure that those looking for treats have a safe evening and that those looking for tricks have an unsuccessful night.
