Expert Advice on Keeping Trick-Or-Treaters Safe

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Reports about a self-proclaimed pedophile who stalks children and posts their photographs on the Internet, have prompted concern among parents, as children take to the streets this Halloween.

Child safety expert Bob Stuber, who regularly counsels law enforcement officials says it all starts with teaching children how to handle potentially dangerous situations. Once a child is aware of risks, it is vital to give them the tools and techniques. One way is to provide children with the OnGuard Kids Safety Watch with built-in 110-decibel alarm that audibly attracts attention should they encounter trouble. http://www.onguardkids.com

    To keep trick-or-treaters safe, he recommends adults do the following:

      - Accompany young children when they go trick-or-treating.

      - Confirm schedules and routes before older kids go trick-or-treating by
        themselves.

      - Have children carry a flashlight or light stick to increase nighttime
        visibility.

      - Make sure older children wear watches that are visible at night so
        they can keep track of time.

      - Have kids remove masks, when walking from house to house, to ensure
        peripheral vision.

      - Instruct children to approach well-lit houses in familiar
        neighborhoods while trick-or-treating.

Overall, Stuber says it's critical to teach kids never to walk away or get into a car with strangers. "Because young children are especially trusting," he says, "they're vulnerable to adult requests for help, such as finding a puppy or seeking directions. Drive that message home, and it will quickly become a habit."