Halloween means more children walking Austin-area neighborhoods after dark, and the Austin Police Department is urging families to plan their routes ahead of time. APD recommends that children carry a flashlight or glow stick so they can be seen in the dark. APD also asked drivers to slow down, because children may step into the road unexpectedly.
APD Public Information Officer Corporal Jose Mendez said drivers have a hard time seeing people at night. He told families never to cross the street between cars and to use intersections or crosswalks instead.
Austin residents Natalie Nicholson and Trey Ward said they keep close watch on their children. Nicholson said keeping eyes on a child at all times is the biggest thing. Ward said his group goes out together with several adults and that they hold hands in the street. APD also reminds parents to tell children not to enter a stranger's home or car on Halloween night.