JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — From crossing the street to what you may find in your child's candy bag, safety experts in Jacksonville have some tips and tricks when it comes to celebrating Halloween safely.
Your child's costume can play a role in keeping them safe. Make sure they have something reflective or a bright color on, so drivers can see them when crossing the streets.
First Coast News Crime and Safety Expert Ken Jefferson recommends to use face paint instead of a mask, that way it can't obstruct your child's view when walking throughout the neighborhood.
Just make sure you test out the face paint by placing a streak on their arm, then waiting to see if there's a reaction before applying it to their entire face.
No matter what you're wearing, it's crucial to stay on the sidewalks and look both ways before using the crosswalks.
"When you press a button, that doesn't stop a car," Jefferson said. "So, you still have to be cognizant of traffic that may be moving. This is one of the most serious nights for traffic for children, so you just have to be on your P's and Q's."
Jefferson says the best way to keep your children safe while trick-or-treating is to go with them, encouraging adults to take advantage of the celebration by teaching their kids how to properly cross the road.
And when they get home, let them show off their candy collection while you go through and double check there's nothing opened or unsafe for consumption.
"We’ve heard it since we were kids that people are adulterating candy and honestly, we just don’t see a lot," Florida Poison Control Center Jacksonville spokesperson Mike McCormick said. "That being said, it is very important that parents still use good judgment and go through all the candy. Do a really good eye test and go through the candy, and if you have any question at all, throw it out."
McCormick also says poison control centers receive the most calls on Halloween about glow sticks, so make sure you keep those out of the mouths of children.