Tricks, treats and train safety tips this Halloween

October 30, 2013

Halloween is tomorrow! What steps are you taking to prepare your kids to be safe on a night that’s loaded with tricks, treats and other mischief - especially as it pertains to rail safety?

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Photo credit: vancouverisawesome.com[/caption]

Keeping kids safe on Halloween around the train tracks can start with some smart choices:

For the little trick-or- treaters, pick a costume that is safe for you child to move in. Pick one that is not oversized, or has a component to it that is obtrusive, like larges shoes or attached objects.
Opt out of buying face masks and test your face-painting skills instead. This will ensure your trick-or-treater is spooky AND safe because it won’t hinder their vision as they’re out and about. This is also crucial to ensure they’re aware of everything in their surroundings, including crossing the tracks safely.

Peer pressure and pranks near railway property

With the air of mischief at an all-time high on Halloween night, how can parents drive home the message of rail safety to older children who are more apt to get up to no good?

You can start by making a few suggestions to your teenager and their friends for activities that will get their adrenaline going without putting them in harm’s way:

Suggest some top-notch Halloween movies, including thrillers such as the Halloween series or a tamer offering, The Monster Squad.
You can also encourage them to satisfy their thrill-seeking appetite by attending an organized haunted house.
If your teen isn’t taking the bait and insists on going out with friends, you can always drive home the rail safety message with these hard-hitting rail safety facts and stats. Pay particular attention to the dangers of trespassing on rail property. Remind your teen of the life-altering risks of climbing between train cars. We suggest having them watch Sean Fowler explain how peer pressure around the tracks cost him an arm and a leg – literally.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y97jO1I-ahE[/youtube]

Keep it up, parents! Driving home rail safety is a never-ending life-long (and lifesaving) lesson we all must strive to adhere to.

Have a rail safe and happy Halloween!