Halloween means there will be more children out on the streets in the dark.  Drivers, parents and children all need to take extra care to make sure they have a fun but safe time.

Ensure an adult accompanies primary school aged children.  Children under the age of 10  lack the developmental skills to cross the road on their own, being unable to judge car speeds and distances.  When going out teach your child to stop at the pavement, look right, left and right again, and to listen for oncoming traffic.  This vital skill is especially important when children are distracted and excited.  Never rely on the green man light on pedestrian crossings alone - use your eyes and ears to make sure it's safe to cross.

Try and cross the road where there are no parked cars, but if there is no choice edge out slowly and look and listen for oncoming traffic.

Use the pavement when walking from house to house and if there is no pavement, walk beside the road, facing the traffic so drivers can see you - adult accompaniment and torches are a must.

If you plan to go out at night think about selecting costumes with bright colours to increase your child's visibility.  If your child is wearing a mask make sure they can see as they often restrict peripheral vision, making it difficult to check for oncoming traffic before crossing a road.  Otherwise, face paint is a good alternative to a mask.