Guelph police provide Halloween safety tips for trick-or-treating

Despite the miserable Halloween weather, the streets of Guelph are still expected to be filled with ghouls, goblins and princesses on Thursday night.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement calling for significant rain and gusting winds of up to 80 kilometres per hour.

READ MORE: Montreal postpones Halloween due to bad weather

For those braving the elements and heading out the door, Guelph police have offered a few safety tips for kids, parents and the rest of the community.

Parents are being urged to remind their kids about looking both ways before crossing the street.

“We understand the excitement that comes with Halloween, the kids who want to get from house to house as quickly as they can,” said Const. Kyle Grant. “But we still have to cognizant of the safety risk.”

He said it’s a good idea for costumes to have some sort of reflective material on them.

Older kids who are going out with friends should use the buddy system and never go onto a property alone, Grant said.

Drivers are being reminded to slow down on residential streets and check for children crossing, especially given the weather, which could reduce visibility.

5:35 Halloween Safety Tips for Trick-or-Treaters

Grant said Halloween night is always different than other nights, but the weather will also play a factor.

“It’s just another reason to slow down because not only are there going to be kids everywhere but visibility might not be great,” he said.

READ MORE: Around 50,000 pumpkins in Waterloo region this Halloween

Parents should also check their kids’ candy haul and get rid of anything that looks out of the ordinary.

“Better to be safe than sorry,” Grant said, noting that Guelph doesn’t often see cases of tampered candy.

“If your kid did pick up anything that you think has been tampered with or there’s an issue with it, please call police.”