Halloween is tomorrow, which means in roughly 24 hours the streets and sidewalks will be filled with ghosts, goblins, and the occasional twerking Miley Cyrus. We always take on a few extra clients around Halloween, so we thought we’d talk about three common calls we receive each year on or around Halloween.
Traffic Violations
Once in a while the cops will give you the benefit of the doubt for speeding or rolling a stop sign, but don’t expect that courtesy on Halloween. Hundreds of kids will be roaming your neighborhood in search of sugary snacks, and they don’t always stick to the sidewalk. If you’re speeding or simply not paying attention, you could hit a child that decided he wanted to quickly get to the big house across the street. Obey the posted speed limit, pay attention to the road and the surroundings, and make sure people are out of the crosswalk before you make a turn.
For parents who will be Trick or Treating with their child, hopefully you’ve convinced them to wear a bright costume. If not, consider attaching some reflective tape to the backside of their costume to help drivers spot your child from a distance. Flashlights also help make your presence known.
Vandalism
Legend says spirits can roam the night on Halloween, and that sentiment also holds true for mischievous teens. Whether it’s toilet-papering a neighbor’s tree or smashing some porch step pumpkins, we always get a handful of calls from parents who have questions about their son or daughter’s vandalism citation. Depending on the severity of the act, vandals can face up to five years in prison and/or $10,000 in fines.
If your teen wants to go out on Halloween dressed in all black, talk to them about the potential consequences of their actions. They might see it as a harmless joke, but the victim is never left laughing.
Drinking
Ghosts aren’t the only spirits that are popular on Halloween. If you’re planning on going to an adult Halloween party, make sure you have a plan to get home safe. Talk to your group about who will be the designated driver, or make plans to get around using public transportation. Cops were out in full force last weekend looking for impaired drivers, and you can bet that they’ll be on the lookout on October 31.
If your teen is planning on going to a friend’s house for a Halloween party, talk to them about the consequences of underage drinking. We know how hard it can be to say “no” in the face of peer pressure, so be honest with them about your expectations. Remind them that absolute sobriety means that they cannot drive a vehicle if they’ve consumed any alcohol. Let them know that if they make a poor decision, it’s better to call their parents than to compound the problem by trying to hide it and drive home. Don’t let a bad decision haunt them for the rest of their life.
If you experience any trouble on Halloween, don’t be afraid to give us a call at (952) 224-2277.
