To ensure a safe and happy Halloween, Roper St. Francis Healthcare is offering a comprehensive list of Halloween safety tips for young trick-or-treaters, their parents or guardians, and homeowners.

Advice to trick-or-treaters includes:

• Carry a flashlight.
• Walk, don’t run.
• Stay on sidewalks.
• Obey traffic signals.
• Stay in familiar neighborhoods.
• Don’t cut across yards or driveways.
• Wear a watch you can read in the dark.
• Make sure costumes don’t drag on the ground.
• Shoes should fit – even if they don’t go with your costume.
• Avoid wearing masks while walking from house to house.
• Carry only flexible knives, swords or other props.
• If there’s no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the road facing traffic.
• Wear clothing with reflective markings or tape.
• Approach only houses that have lights on.
• Stay away from and don’t pet animals you don’t know.

Parents are offered the following advice:

• Have your child eat dinner before setting out.
• Young children should be accompanied by an adult.
• Older children should wear a watch, preferably one that can be read in the dark.
• Costumes should be made of flame retardant material.
• Older children should know where to reach you and when to be home.
• Tell children to bring candy home to be inspected before eating.
• Look at the wrapping carefully and toss out anything that looks suspect.

And for Homeowners who will be handing out treats, Halloween safety suggestions include:

• Make sure your yard is clear of anything that might trip young ones.
• Pets can get frightened on Halloween. Put them up to protect them from cars or inadvertently biting a trick-or-treater.
• Battery powered jack-o’-lantern candles are preferable to real flame.
• If you do use candles, place them well away from where children may be walking or standing.
• Healthy food alternatives for trick-or-treaters include packages of low-fat crackers with cheese or peanut butter filling, single serve boxes of cereal, packaged fruit rolls, mini boxes of raisins, etc.
• Non-food treats: plastic rings, pencils, stickers, and erasers.