Halloween poses safety risks

Halloween can be a frightfully fun holiday, but the night can take a terrifying turn if people aren’t careful.

Several agencies urge partygoers, pedestrians and trick-or-treaters to maintain sobriety and to consider safety before taking over the night.

“The leading cause of injury or victimization on holidays is alcohol related,” said University Police Department Detective John Edds. “Oftentimes people become so inebriated that they are unable to care for themselves and unable to practice good, sound judgment.”

The American Red Cross and the San Luis Obispo Police Department offers several tips to those who plan to go out on Halloween and engage in the festivities.

Some tips from the Red Cross and the SLOPD are common sense items such as not walking in the street and avoiding open flames when wearing wigs, capes and flammable costumes.

However, other tips aren’t as obvious.

“More crime tends to occur on Halloween because Halloween is a holiday of letting loose,” Edds said. “It’s expected that people are going to run around and have fun, and probably some people will take it too far and end up hurting somebody.”

If consuming alcohol and leaving home, adults should map out a route to ensure that they do not get lost.

Adults are also urged to wear light-colored fabrics to ensure visibility at night and to carry a flashlight or glow stick to make them stand out to motorists.

“The worst thing someone can do is place themselves in a position of jeopardy,” Edds said. “The most common form of this is when someone is so inebriated they have lowered standards to participate willingly in activities they would not normally do if they were sober.”

Students on campus offer safety tips as well.

“Don’t eat candy that is not wrapped,” said child development senior Kelsey Remple, 20. “People don’t need to be reckless or careless with their life just for one holiday.”

Along with SLOPD and the Red Cross, Remple urges her peers not to leave candles in their jack-o’-lanterns. Instead, the agencies suggest placing glow sticks in the pumpkins.

“I think (safety) is very important,” said kinesiology freshman Jasmine Pickett, 18. “Halloween can definitely get crazy and sometimes people do stupid stuff. Safety is definitely a priority.”

Halloween Safety Tips

• When trick-or-treating, map a route so you don’t get lost.

• Don’t enter a stranger’s house and only visit houses with their porch lights on.

• Use face paint instead of masks that cover your eyes.

• Walk on sidewalks wherever possible. A street may look free of cars one moment, but a motorist can quickly turn the corner seconds later.

• Walk against traffic so you can see cars coming.

• Do not run across streets and always look both ways before crossing. You may trip or fall, which increases the risk of being hit by a vehicle.

• Make sure oncoming vehicles see you and are stopping before crossing a street in a crosswalk or at an intersection. Just because you’re in a crosswalk doesn’t mean a driver is paying attention to you.

• When driving, slow down and pay attention. This is especially true in areas where children are present. Look for pedestrians and yield the right of way to them.

• Don’t hide between parked cars, even if trying to scare someone. Motorists can’t see you there.

• Be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.

• Inspect candy before eating it. Remove opened packages and do not eat unwrapped candy.