As darkness falls on October 31, costumed kids will fill the streets of Emerson, but are they staying safe while collecting their treats? Arya Sontag, a seventh grade student, said safety is important on Halloween.
“I would wear bright clothes to help drivers see me,” Sontag said, “and I would bring a flashlight and stay in a group. I would trick or treat close to home.”
Sontag thinks that 10-year-olds should be allowed to trick-or-treat on Halloween alone since they are no longer little kids who may wander off. Still, she said everyone should travel with a group of friends because there’s less of a chance of getting lost.
Officer Mike Murphy agrees with Sontag. He’s a former police officer who now works as a school safety officer at Patrick M. Villano School. He cares a lot about Halloween safety. He does not want anyone to get hurt on Halloween. so he suggests being extra careful when crossing the street. The number one cause of children’s deaths on Halloween is being hit by a car, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventation
“Don’t wear a mask that covers your view, try to walk on the sidewalk (if the street is against traffic), and don’t eat the candy without your parents checking it if it is safe,” Murphy said.
Demi Paradis, a sixth grader, said she always tries to make herself visible to cars.
“Have a communication device with you,” Paradis added.
Paradis will trick-or-treat on Eagle Drive which is one of the busiest trick or treating street in town. She is going without any adults, but she plans to communicate with them by cell phone, so she can stay safe.
