It’s time for candy, costumes, and trick-or-treating. We want to keep you and your loved ones safe, so we rounded up some handy tips to help make the scariest night of the year not too scary.
Trick-or-treaters:
- It’s not always an option in the Tampa Bay area, but use sidewalks as much as possible to stay out of the way of traffic.
- Carry a flashlight or glow stick to make getting around easier — especially in areas without streetlights.
- Wear reflective clothing or stickers to make it easier for drivers and bikers to see you.
- Choose a costume that won’t trip you up or impair your vision.
Last-minute Halloween plans:
- Armature Works is hosting a family-friendly trick-or-treating event from 4-6 p.m.
- We recommend strolling around Davis Islands for all the decorations enthusiasts.
- Fun fact — Main Street in Safety Harbor is closed to traffic from 4:30-6:30 p.m. to help keep people safe.
For the adults:
- Talk to kids about dangers like running out into the street. Children aged four to eight have been found to be at much more risk of getting hurt on Halloween than on any other day of the year.
- Think about maturity levels when deciding to send kids trick-or-treating unsupervised. Do they know the neighborhood well? Do they know the neighbors?
- Take care on the roads tonight. Halloween typically sees an increase in drunk drivers.
Halloween can be scary for dogs, too.
Photo by Ranger the Golden Retriever
Furry friends:
- We love our pets in the Tampa Bay area, but consider choosing a costume for your animal that won’t squeeze them or make them uncomfortable.
- Consider leaving your animal home when you go trick-or-treating. People in costumes can scare them.
- Keep the candy out of reach. Some of our Halloween faves can be harmful to pets, like chocolate, sugary candy, and raisins.
- Pets can also ingest decorations. Things like hanging lights and cobwebs can put them in harm’s way.
Have fun out there, TBAY.