Halloween safety tips for nighttime trick-or-treating

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

I never had the luxury of trick-or-treating on Halloween as a kid. And begging strangers for candy in the middle of the day made those homeowners who jumped out of their bushes a lot less scary.

But after seeing the many towns and municipalities in our area with Halloween night trick-or-treats, I figured I'd share some Halloween safety tips.

Track your goblin: Trick or Tracker 2.0 is a new smartphone app that keeps tabs on that ghoul of yours. Install the app on both the parent's and child's phones so that parents can find the child's immediate location or whereabouts at pre-set check-in intervals, and make sure their child hasn't wandered outside an allowed neighborhood. Kids can also use the app on their phone to send a distress message. Or you could do it the old-fashioned way, and accompany your goblin on their hunt for candy.

Glow in the dark: The Weller Health Education Center advises nighttime trick-or-treaters to carry something on them that glows in the dark, (reflective tape, a treat bag or necklace) or a flashlight so that they are visible to motorists. Also, opt for makeup instead of masks so that nothing obstructs their vision. Make sure costumes are not too long, shoes fit properly and leave bulky swords, canes and props at home.

Leave the lights on: For those dishing out the candy on Halloween, leave a porch light on and make sure that walkways and steps are clear for trick-or-treaters.

Put your loot to good use: The Halloween Candy Buyback Program allows children to sell their candy back to participating dentists in exchange for cash, coupons, gift cards, toothbrushes and other goodies. The candy is then donated to U.S. troops through Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit organization in California that makes care packages for troops overseas. Find a participating dentist at halloweencandybuyback.com.

Scan your candy: Hospitals have in the past offered their x-ray machines up for the inspection of Halloween candy. But who really wants to disrupt an ER for that? X-Ray Candy Inspector, an app developed by JayBon offers an entertaining peek at what's inside your candy bar. But on a more serious note, don't eat anything that's loose or not in a wrapper.

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