Before children don their superhero capes, princess tutus or vampire teeth for Halloween this year, the American Red Cross is offering some safety tips to help parents and guardians ensure the safety of their trick-or-treater as they venture through neighborhoods in search of candy.

 “We want everyone to enjoy this fun-filled night,” said Lilly Wyatt, American Red Cross Gold Country Region’s Director of Regional Communications and Marketing. “The kids are excited, but first parents need to make sure their kids know what to do in order to have fun and stay safe.”

Parents are encouraged to add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags and to make sure that everyone is wearing light-colored in order to be seen. Trick-or-treaters should also use flame-resistant costumes and face make up instead of masks, which make it hard to see clearly.

Halloween participants are urged to map out a route ahead of time to maximize safety, and adults should also know where children are going. If children are young, a parent or guardian should accompany them as they go door-to-door throughout the neighborhood.

Other American Red Cross safety tips for this year include making sure that trick-or-treaters have a flashlight to see where they are going and to be seen by drivers and only visiting homes that have a porch light on. Trick-or-treaters should accept treats at the door and never go inside an unknown home.

Children should walk on sidewalks and not in the streets. In the event that there is no sidewalk available, kids should walk at the edge of the roadway facing traffic. Trick-or-treaters must also look both ways before crossing the street and only cross at the corner.

Community members who are on the other side of the door on Halloween can also take various measures to make sure their house is safe for all trick-or-treaters. The American Red Cross encourages people to make sure outdoor lights are on, sweep leaves from sidewalks and steps and clear their yard of obstacles that children could trip over.

Individuals should also restrain their pets when a trick-or-treater is at their door and use glow sticks instead of candles in jack-o-lanterns to avoid a fire hazard. If they are driving, they are urged to be extra-cautious for costume-clad children that may forget to look both ways before crossing the street.

For more information, visit redcross.org/ca/sacramento.