Halloween is filled with plenty of treats. Unfortunately the combination of kids, candles, darkness, and mischief also brings its fair share of threats to the safety of your home and family.

What's more, the damage left behind by Hurricane Sandy creates a Halloween environment in which you should take extra precautions. Be wary of loose limbs, downed trees and/or power lines, and other hazards created by the high winds and rain.

Halloween safety doesn’t have to be tricky, here a few tips to keep in mind:

For Your Trick-or-Treaters:

1. Never allow children to go trick-or-treating alone.
2. Use extra caution when crossing the street, if possible cross only at the corners.
3. Carry a flashlight or glow stick, and put reflective tape on costumes.
4. Make sure costumes, masks, and shoes fit well, to avoid trips and falls.
5. Never walk close to luminaries or lit jack-o’-lanterns.
6. Always test makeup in a small area, to ensure it won’t cause skin irritation.

For Your Home

1. Keep your home well-lit on Halloween and the night before, to discourage mischief and provide good visibility for visiting trick-or-treaters.
2. Make sure your front yard, driveway, and sidewalks are in good repair and free of tripping hazards like hoses or even lawn decorations.
3. Park your vehicles in your garage to prevent damage from Halloween mischief-makers.
4. Don’t park your vehicles in the street on Halloween, where they can block walking areas for trick-or-treaters, cause street congestion, and unintentionally provide blind areas for drivers if kids dart out from behind the car.
5. Use extra caution with candles, especially any candles that might be near trick-or-treaters — battery-powered candles are a good alternative.
6. Restrain your pets to keep them safe, and keep others safe from jumps, bites, scratches, and scares.

If you do experience damage to your home on Halloween, contact your Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance agent as soon as possible.