Halloween safety tips

To help make Halloween activities safer, whether you're going door-to-door, driving or passing out treats at home, keep these tips, and some safety tips for pumpkin carving, in mind.

Safety tips for trick or treating

• Always accompany young children.
• Exercise great caution during the "scariest" hours: between 5 and 9 p.m. Studies show that the hour between 6 and 7 p.m. is especially dangerous for pedestrian accidents.
• Stick to neighborhoods with sidewalks. If you must walk on the street, keep to the far left, facing traffic.
• Practice safe crossing procedures: Use crosswalks and at corners look both ways before crossing.
• Stick reflective tape onto costumes to make your child more visible. Also have your child carry a flashlight with fresh batteries.
• Make sure costumes and shoes are the correct size to prevent tripping. If possible, use face paint and leave the mask at home since masks can obstruct vision.
• If an older child is venturing out without supervision, ask that he or she go with a group, discuss the route and agree on a curfew. Give older kids cell phones making sure it is completely charged so they can stay in touch.
• Children should be fever free and not show signs of illness if going out treat or treating.

Halloween driving safety tips

• Be alert for children and eliminate in-car distractions, including your cell phone.
• Drive slowly.
• To help see children in a distance, make sure to turn your headlights on early.
• Practice extra caution at intersections and corners.
• Pull in and out of driveways carefully.
• Discuss these and other driving pointers with your teen driver.
• If you encounter an impaired driver, be sure to report the driver to authorities.

Halloween decorating safety tips

• Keep your home brightly lit indoors and outside. Check the lighting for your front entryway or porch and replace any damaged bulbs that may have burned out.
• Remove or highlight potential tripping hazards, such as electrical cords. Clear debris and other obstacles from your lawn, sidewalks and steps.
• Avoid open flames. Opt for battery-operated candles in jack-o'-lanterns or other areas where costumed trick-or-treaters might stand.
• Be sure that the extension cords you use outside are rated for outdoor use. Also, don't overload extension cords. Your cord should be the correct amps for what you're plugging into it.
• Keep pets kenneled or in another room.
• While your homeowners insurance policy provides some liability coverage, additional liability insurance may protect against costly legal fees that could result if an accident occurs on your property. Talk to your State Farm® agent to see if a Personal Liability Umbrella Policy is right for you.

In addition to protecting children from accidents, remind kids of stranger danger on Halloween. Teach children to visit only well-lit homes, to avoid dark streets and to not enter homes that aren't their own. Kids should show all their loot to parents before eating any of it. Homemade treats from people they don't know shouldn't be eaten.