Halloweeen is spooky enough as it is – crossing the street shouldn’t have to be a scary experience for trick-or-treaters in Nanaimo neighbourhoods.
It’s time for an annual reminder to drivers and pedestrians to exercise caution the evening of Oct. 31, which falls on a Sunday this year.
RCMP detachments in Nanaimo and elsewhere in the country are issuing common-sense safety tips. Motorists should drive with added caution and be prepared to stop unexpectedly, as “there will be many children on the street who will be very excited and may forget to cross safely, or who may not look to see a car backing out of a driveway,” police say, adding that people should avoid driving at all that night if possible.
As well, drivers shouldn’t be wearing costumes that interfere with the safe operation of a vehicle.
Trick-or-treaters need to take care, too, staying in well-lit neighbourhoods, visiting well-lit houses, and staying with a group of friends.
Costumes need to be easily seen at night, and reflective materials can go a long way to illuminating witch’s robes, superhero outfits and Squid Game tracksuits. Masks can make it harder for kids to see where they’re going, so face paint is generally preferable, police say, and parents should ensure that the length of their child’s costume doesn’t impede movement. Trick-or-treaters should carry a flashlight and continually be on the lookout for cars coming and going. Police recommend trick-or-treating along one side of the street, crossing safely at the corner, and then trick-or-treating along the other side.
Let’s keep safe and keep one another safe on all the dark, wet nights ahead of us this fall, Oct. 31 and otherwise. Nanaimo’s neighbourhood roads aren’t the place for Halloween hijinks.
Is it OK to go trick-or-treating during the pandemic? https://t.co/BmnXICkv2P
— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) October 28, 2021
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editor@nanaimobulletin.com
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