Wichita police have safety tips for parents and youngsters for Halloween trick-or-treating Thursday evening.

Officer Juan Rebolledo said parents and guardians should go with young children, and youngsters should travel in groups and have a planned route.    Children should have costumes with reflective materials, or reflective tape can be placed on the costumes.   Children can have glow sticks or flashlights to make them more visible.

Rebolledo said kids should stick to the sidewalks and use crosswalks, and avoid walking between parked vehicles, and they should only go to homes with porch lights on, indicating that the resident is welcoming trick-or-treaters.   He said parents should inspect the candy that their children bring home and check it for any tampering.  Any unwrapped or suspicious treats should be thrown away.

Drivers are urged to drive slowly through neighborhoods and watch for children, and they should put cell phones away and avoid distracted driving.

Wichita Fire Department Lieutenant Shannon Ward said Halloween decorations should be kept away from the door so children can have an open path to collect treats.  She recommends flameless candles for decorations, but if a real candle is used, it should be kept away from any flammable decorations or materials.

The American Red Cross has a number of safety tips:

• Trick-or-treaters need to see and be seen.
  • Use face makeup instead of masks which can make seeing difficult.
  • Give trick-or-treaters a flashlight to light their way.
  • Add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
  • If possible, have everyone wear light-colored clothing.
• Use flame-resistant costumes.
• When choosing costumes, stay away from long trailing fabric.
• Make sure adults know where the kids are going. A parent or responsible adult should accompany young children door-to-door.
• Be cautious around animals, especially dogs.
• Walk, don’t run.
• Only visit homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door and never go inside.
• Walk only on sidewalks, not in the street. If there are no sidewalks, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic.
  • Look both ways before crossing the street, and cross only at the corner.
  • Don’t cross between parked cars, and don’t cut across yards or use alleys.
• Drivers — use extra caution as youngsters may forget to look both ways before crossing.
• A grown-up should check all goodies before eating. Make sure to remove loose candy, open packages and remove any choking hazards. Discard any items with brand names that you are not familiar with.

If you are planning to welcome trick-or-treaters to your home, follow these safety steps:

• Light the area well so young visitors can see.
• Sweep leaves from your sidewalks and steps. Clear your porch or front yard of obstacles someone could trip over.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Safe Kids Kansas has advice for drivers:

• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Watch out for pedestrians when turning at intersections. Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.