Children 12 years old and younger
Young children should not be alone at night without adult supervision, even if in a large group with older kids.
Children 13 years old and older
Just because a child is a teenager doesn't mean they are mature enough to be out without supervision. If kids are trustworthy enough to be out sans adult, they should:
- Review an acceptable route — only familiar areas that are well-lit — and plan to trick-or-treat in groups, never alone.
- Carry a watch and a cell phone for communication purposes only.
- Agree on a specific time to return home.
Children of all ages
No matter what age, kids should follow the following safety guidelines. Equally important, parents and other chaperones should abide by the same rules to set an example and encourage appropriate behavior.
- Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right, and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
- Never run when crossing the street.
- Put phones and other electronic devices down while walking.
- Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
- Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
- Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
- Do not let kids enter homes — even those that appear to be themed haunted houses — or cars without a trusted adult present.
- Only trick-or-treat in well-lit, familiar neighborhoods in which most homes appear to be friendly to trick-or-treaters. Only approach homes that have a porch light on.
