With Halloween fast approaching, now is the time to take a look around your property and make sure it’s safe for the hoards of trick or treaters headed your way.

Proper lighting is key for a safe property. Take a walk from the viewpoint of visitors and children arriving on a dark night. Start at the street. If by chance the streetlight nearest your house is out, call your municipality and urge them to have it replaced as soon as possible. Gently remind them of Halloween and children’s safety. Proceed up your driveway. Can you add some flood lights to your lawn to illuminate walking surfaces such as the driveway or walkway? Does your property get enough sun throughout the day for solar lights to be effective? Remember that at this time of year, the sunlight we receive is less than in the summer, and also isn’t as strong, making solar lights often a weak form of lighting by October 31. Continue your test walk up to your porch. Make sure your porch light is turned on and the bulb is bright enough to see clearly. If it is a sensor light, turn the switch to keep the light on constantly if your porch light is equipped with this function.

Another source of commonly used lighting is candles on Halloween. Whether in a carved pumpkin or beautiful glass lantern, candles cast a beautiful glow. Remember to keep candles up and away from children and pets. Make certain they are blown out completely before you go to bed, and never leave them unattended. A safer option is to use battery operated candles. This way you can relax and still enjoy the ambiance candlelight provides.

Spooky decorations go hand in hand with October 31. Just make sure they’re not obstructing walkways or crowding raised porches. And definitely keep décor off of stairs. A child stumbling off your deck is not a nice “trick” to play on them……they would prefer a treat most definitely! Tuck your goblins off to one side so they don’t get underfoot. Better yet, decorate “up” instead of “out”. Nobody will trip over ghosts and witches flying high above!

If your youngsters are heading out for Halloween, it’s a smart idea to opt for face paint instead of traditional masks. Masks can obstruct vision, especially peripheral vision. This is not safe when out on the streets, as cars cannot be seen as easily. Dress your children in brightly coloured clothing. If they’re dressing up in black as Darth Vader, for example, buy reflective tape to add to the costume. The dollar store sells glow sticks/ bracelets that every child should carry when out past dark.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!