Halloween safety should be top of mind tonight

By Lethbridge Herald on October 31, 2025.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald

Tonight, many children and families will be out and about trick or treating and Lethbridge Police Service, along with Alberta Motor Association, is urging everyone to be safe. 

Community engagement officer, Cst. Dana Holland said Thursday there are multiple ways for everyone to enjoy the festive holiday safely. 

“Biggest thing for you to be aware of is, to make sure you are well lit. That if you have dark costumes, you have reflecting bands, glowsticks, flashlights and whatnot,” said Holland. 

She said children should go trick or treating with their parents, or in large groups and should never go into people’s houses when trick or treating. 

“Stay on the doorstep so you can be in a safe zone. If anyone encourage you to go in the house, decline,” said Holland. 

She said those trick or treating should make sure the houses they are going to have the lights on, as this is a sign they are expecting them and to ring the bell, or yell trick or treat. 

“Be respectful with the different things you are doing when it comes to crossing streets. Please do it at the crosswalks, don’t go in between vehicles,” said Holland. 

She said with many families driving their kids up and down the streets, LPS wants to make sure no kids get hit by a moving vehicle. 

“For drivers, obviously be aware that there’s kids all over the place and they may make that choice to go and run out in front of traffic, and we just don’t want to have any incidents with that,” said Holland. 

As Halloween is also a holiday for adults to dress up and party, Holland said LPS is asking everyone to be safe and not drink and drive, especially with so many children out trick or treating. 

“It is one of those holidays that is truly meant to be fun, a time to let your inner kid out, so we are encouraging you to have fun safely and don’t drink and drive. Find someone who can drive you around,” said Holland. 

When talking about other ways to enjoy a safe Halloween, Holland said this can be accomplished by checking the candy received before consuming it. 

“You want to make sure that if your kids bring home anything that is unwrapped to not have it. I would suggest parents go through all the candy their kids have, split it into groups, and decide what the kids can have,” said Holland. 

She said sometimes people give out baked goods, and that would be up to the parents to decide if they would let their children consume it, but she suggests otherwise. 

“We’re going to have some people giving away toothbrushes, which I think is a really good idea, but when it comes to candy, just make sure you’re checking it and tell your kids not to eat anything until they get home, so you are able to manage that,” said Holland. 

Crystal Vercholuk, AMA community engagement specialist said that even though Halloween is about creativity and fun, they want to encourage people to include safety in their conversation and planning of costume design considerations. 

“We are encouraging children and their families to think about costumes in terms of being seen and being safe. To consider bright or lightly coloured costumes, and have some reflective elements,” said Vercholuk. 

She said one way AMA is helping families add a reflective element to their costumes is by providing reflecting arm bands, available at the local branch. 

“In Lethbridge we also had support with distribution from the Lethbridge Food Bank with their program Mindful Munchies, and also through the Lethbridge Public Library,” said Vercholuk. 

She said it is important to AMA to be involved in Halloween safety, as they are advocates for traffic safety in general and they also do a lot of pedestrian safety in the communities they serve with their school safety patrol program. 

“And we do a lot to protect vulnerable road users, so Halloween is the time when people are out in the dark and we think it is a good time for parents to have safety conversations with their children,” said Vercholuk.