Bob's Halloween Safety Tips for Protecting Your Ghouls & Goblins

Halloween can be an enjoyable experience for parents and children alike. Watching your children be creative with their costumes and having a great time with family and friends can create heart-warming memories that will last a lifetime. However, whenever your loved ones are involved, it is also a time to take precautions against potential threats to your children.

With Halloween being tonight, we at Bob Lancaster Insurance wants you to be aware of some useful safety advice:

1. Supervision. Make sure your young children are accompanied by at least 2 responsible adults.
2. Kids on their own? If your older children are going trick-or-treating unaccompanied, make sure they are in a group of at least 4 kids. Have them meet at one their parents’ houses and make sure a responsible adult picks them up and drops them off at home. Never let any of them walk home alone.
3. Familiar surroundings. It is safer to stay in familiar neighborhoods where you know your surroundings, or at the very least, know people in the neighborhood you where you will be trick-or-treating.
4. Haunted houses. Instruct your children that they are never to go inside a stranger’s home unless accompanied by an adult. This includes a haunted house. While a haunted house may look like fun, if you don’t know the people, you don’t know if it’s safe.
5. Enjoy treats safely. Be cautious and avoid fruit or unwrapped candy.
6. Your stamp of approval. Tell your children not to eat any treats until they get home, and you can inspect and approve their candy inventory.
7. No shortcuts. Children should never take shortcuts through stranger’s yards, alleys, or empty fields.
8. No free rides. Tell your kids to never accept rides from strangers.
9. Be prepared. Take these safety items with you: a cell phone, a flashlight, water, and a small first-aid kit.
10. Where are you going? Pre-plan the trick-or-treating route.
11. Set and confirm a curfew. Since some cities have curfews, make sure you are aware of, and show respect for local laws. If your city does not have a curfew, set a personal curfew time for your children and let them know to return home in advance of their curfew.
12. Costumes. Make sure costumes are fire-resistant and safe. Costumes and shoes should be comfortable and easy to walk in.
13. Be easy to see. For increased visibility and safety, have your kids wear something bright and easy to see at night. Also, use a flashlight to make others aware of your presence.
14. No weapons (real or imitation). Never use realistic looking weapons as part of your costumes. There have been several instances where such replicas have led to fatal shootings by homeowners or police.
15. Contact us for all your Insurance needs! (321)725-1620 
    
    Bob Lancaster Insurance
    Serving Florida since 1964