Local officials share tips for a safe Halloween

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- With Halloween right around the corner, many families are gearing up for trick-or-treating.

While trick-or-treating is a fun Halloween tradition, it's important to make sure children stay safe while collecting candy.

Families should have a plan in place in case children become separated from their group while trick-or-treating.

"If somebody goes missing the best thing they can do is call and we'll send some officers there to assist," Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said. "We don't want to wait hours if a child is missing."

Drivers should take extra precautions on Halloween night, when children are more likely to be out walking near roads while trick-or-treating.

"They’re excited; they’re running up and down the sidewalks. Maybe darting out into the streets between cars," executive director of the St. Joseph Safety Council, Frank Till said. "As drivers, we need to be exceptionally careful on Halloween night. Slow down everywhere, especially in neighborhoods."

Till said drivers should be prepared for children to appear unexpectedly on the road.

"If you’re in a neighborhood, drive 5 mph slower speeds save lives on days like this," he said.

Bright costumes and reflective lights can help drivers spot children more easily on Halloween night.

"Carry lights, glow sticks, or other lights and walk with your children if they’re young," Till said. "Stay with them; keep a hold of them and keep them from getting too excited."

Using headlights can help drivers see better and stay alert for trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.

"When there’s not vehicles approaching, turn on your brights, so again, it expands your field of vision," Till said.

Face paint can be a good alternative to masks because it allows children to see more clearly while trick-or-treating.

"Make sure that they can see," Till said. "The same thing with hooded costumes or something; make sure they can use their peripheral vision."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), during the 2024 Halloween holiday period, 143 people were killed in vehicle traffic crashes, including 43 people in crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.

Till said people heading to Halloween parties should plan by choosing a designated driver or using a rideshare service.

"It’s even more dangerous at a time like this. If you see an impaired driver or erratic driver, pull over and call 9-1-1 immediately," he said. "Give that information to police. The direction of travel, the vehicle color and a license plate if you have it. Just report those kinds of things so we all stay safe."

Parents should have children wait until they get home to eat their Halloween candy so they can check it first.

"It's important for parents to stress we need to look at this before you dive into it," Puett said. "We don't want something happening and you getting hurt or sick because of some type of alteration to those items."

When checking Halloween candy, look for damaged packaging, signs of tampering or broken factory seals.

"That's there nothing odd or off about that. It's always better to dispose of that than take a risk that somebody could have tamper with," Puett said.

Parents should check homemade treats and make sure they know who made them before allowing children to eat them.

"They're probably fine, just want to make sure that your not getting into something that would harm a child," Puett said.

Overall, Puett said families should enjoy Halloween night while taking precautions to keep themselves and their children safe.