Halloween is always a night of fun, frights and maybe a little mischief. It can also be dangerous. With kids running up and down the streets, sometimes unsupervised, there’s always potential for trouble.

So as you go out into the night this Halloween, take some time to go over the following Halloween safety tips, provided courtesy of the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office. Motorists also should be sure to exercise extra caution Thursday night.

TRICK-OR-TREATERS

• Carry a flashlight or glow stick with you to help keep you safe and visible.
• If the lights are out at a house, skip it.
• Carry a cell phone with you to stay in touch with your parents and/or ride.
• Take your time! Always look before crossing the street.
• Let your parents check your candy before digging in.
• Don’t accept homemade treats except from known friends and family as approved by your parents.
• Don’t accept rides from strangers.
• Don’t go into strangers’ homes.
• Trick or treat with friends, never alone.

PARENTS

• Accompany your children as they trick or treat.
• Set boundaries for your child regarding distances and neighborhoods allowed.
• Check your children’s candy to assure safety and appropriateness.
• Set time limits for your children.
• Realistic-looking firearm props or other similar weapons shouldn’t be allowed.
• A frequent question on Halloween is about registered sex offenders. For a complete listing of registered offenders and their self-reported places of residence you can go to sexoffender.ncsbi.gov/disclaimer.aspx.

MOTORISTS

• Please drive slowly and remember that excited children can dart out of nowhere.
• Don’t drive distracted. There will already be more distractions than normal.
• Law enforcement is working hard over Halloween, so if consuming alcohol is part of your celebration, please use a designated driver or ride-share service.

Halloween is probably one of the most fun days of the year, for children and adults alike. Make sure you do your part to make it a safe one.