Organizations provide Halloween safety tips for all members of the family

ICBC and the RCMP are reminding residents of some Halloween safety tips for this weekend.

Doug MacDonald, ICBC Road Safety and Community Coordinator for the Northern region says both drivers need to keep a few things in mind.

“A couple of tips for drivers is making sure you stay below the speed limit. We know trick or treaters are going to be out and we want to make sure we’re paying attention. Make sure we’re not on our cell phones. We see those slow-moving vehicles, they may be stopping for trick or treaters crossing the road or they may be actually out with trick or treater themselves so make sure you do not pass those vehicles,” Macdonald said.

MacDonald says anyone heading out with plans to drink and celebrate with friends should plan for a safe ride home by arranging a designated driver or calling a cab.

Pedestrians are also being reminded of a few safety tips, such as wearing bright, reflective clothing to heighten visibility.

“Follow the rules of the road, don’t be crisscrossing the road, make sure you do one side of the street and then the other side of the street, it makes it easier for people out there driving their vehicle. So it’s really important we slow down as drivers and as pedestrians, keep a mindful eye of drivers that are out there.”

The RCMP says parents of trick or treaters should be aware of the route that their child is planning to follow, and agree upon a curfew so they know when to expect them home.

Older children trick or treating alone should walk in groups and stay together, and should know what to do in case of an emergency.

Parents are also being asked to make sure their child’s costume is flame-retardant and properly fitted to reduce the chance of them tripping on it.

For those with four-legged family members, the BC SPCA is also reminding residents to take a few measures to keep pets safe and happy, as Halloween can be a very traumatizing time for them.

The organization says exploding fireworks can be terrifying for pets, farm animals and wildlife, as nearly half of dogs are fearful of loud noises such as fireworks, thunderstorms and gunshots.

Additionally, almost 80% of horses show anxious behaviour during fireworks displays, according to the BC SPCA.

The non-profit says ensuring animals have proper forms of identification such as tags or microchips is very important on Halloween night, just in case they bolt at the sound of fireworks.

Costumes can also be very scary to different pets, and the BC SPCA is reminding pet owners to be mindful when opening the door to hand out candy so they don’t try and escape.