“Day with so many distractions”: FWPD shares safety reminders for Halloween night

Published: Oct. 31, 2023 at 10:40 AM EDT
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - As families head out for a chilly evening of trick-or-treating Tuesday night, FWPD has a few reminders on how to stay safe as both a driver and a walker.

FWPD Officer Jessica Ingram is the Safety Education Officer at the FWPD Safety Village. She says depending on call volume, officers try to make it out to the neighborhoods as much as possible to make sure things are going smoothly.

She says some top priorities are making sure your children are familiar with the proper way to cross the street and showing them how to recognize homes that are safe to trick-or-treat, such as homes with an outdoor light on.

Most of all, though, she adds parents and guardians can never go wrong with accompanying children to trick-or-treat or using best judgment if your child is a bit older.

“A day with so many distractions,” Ingram said. “Whenever it’s possible, I think it’s a great idea for a grown up to go along with the kids.”

As a driver, make sure to use extra caution as children and families will be out walking. One way to spot trick-or-treaters, especially in dark costumes is to look for identifiers like reflective tape or glow sticks that might help to illuminate children on the streets and sidewalks.

In the city of Fort Wayne, trick-or-treat hours are from 5:30 to 7:30. Sunset is at 6:37 p.m on Halloween night.