Halloween is a time of fun and excitement for most children and many adults, but safety is an important part of keeping the trick-or-treating from going bad.

Elkin Police Chief Monroe Wagoner provided some tips for parents and kids to remember during Wednesday's Halloween festivities.

Wagoner said most of the things people can do to stay safe are common sense, but it is important to remember them during a time when fun can make children forgetful. "Just common stuff," Wagoner said. "Walk on the sidewalks and not in the street. If there are no sidewalks just make sure to walk in the grass and out of the road."

Wagoner said the police department has had incidents in the past where parents and children have tried to cross the street between lines of cars stopped or slowly rolling following trick-or-treaters.

That is something that should be avoided. "Do not try to cross the street between cars," Wagoner said. "Don't hide between the parked cars and then cross street."

Wagoner recommended children wear light colored clothing or parents purchase reflective tape to make their child visible to motorists and other trick-or-treaters in the dark.

"Kids that go out on their own, we recommend they tell their parents the route they plan to take and of course its always better to have an adult with you."

Wagoner said children and adults should always carry a flashlight.

Wagoner said many people have candles or lighted luminaries on their porches during Halloween and cautioned children and adults to make sure to stay away from any open flames as many costumes are flammable and have long, flowing garments that could easily be caught in the flames. He said for trick-or-treaters to make sure to never go into a house to get candy and to always stay where they can be seen from the street.

"We'll just see how it goes," Wagoner said Friday. "We'll have a normal force out, but we'll be prepared for anything."

For more safety tips see pages 2 and 3.