Keep Your Trick-or-Treaters Safe This Halloween
You may wonder if trick-or-treating is safe, especially when stories of poisoned Halloween candy circulate every year. These terrifying tales have all been hoaxes, but beyond needlessly frightening parents, these urban legends take attention away from the real danger kids face while trick-or-treating. Safe Kids Worldwide reports that children are twice as likely to be struck by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year. Here’s what you need to remember before sending your little witches and knights out trick-or-treating.
in. If your little princess is absolutely in love with her high heels, have her wear the pretty, uncomfortable shoes for pictures at the door, then switch into comfy sneakers before hitting the sidewalks. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE Masks can really bring a costume together, but they can also make it hard for young eyes to see where they’re going. Before trick-or- treaters head out to collect that sweet candy, swap out masks with face paint. It might take a few practice runs, but face paint can be just as cool. Make sure to test for allergic reactions first. KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD It is important for trick-or-treaters of all ages to know how to behave safely as they walk down the sidewalks. They should always look both ways before crossing the street, never run out between parked cars, and make sure oncoming traffic is completely stopped before they step out into the road. Kids under the age of 12 should be accompanied by an adult, and older children should stick with their friends and never trick or treat alone. Trick-or-treating is a wonderful childhood tradition, and it shouldn’t end in tragedy. Talk to your kids about the risks and make sure they know why these rules are necessary. When you keep safety in mind, your trick-or-treaters can focus on the best part of Halloween: getting the most candy!
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Brightly colored costumes will make your child more visible in the dark. That said, if your ghouls and goblins have their hearts set on being a real creature of the night, flashlights, glow-in-the-dark bracelets, and reflective tape attached to candy bags can help trick-or- treaters remain visible to drivers. DRESS FOR COMFORT The cold might not bother Elsa, but your trick-or-treater may not be ready to sing after the sun sets and the temperature drops. Have them wear jackets and gloves as needed and insist on shoes they can walk
Vicki Koutsogiannis, one of the attorneys here at the Law Office of James R. Snell Jr., also happens to be the co-chair of the Lexington County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CLE) committee. Vicki organized a criminal law CLE seminar for October 4, which features some amazing speakers. We are passionate about continuing education, and we’re proud of Vicki’s hard work in organizing the event. Alan Wilson, South Carolina’s attorney general, will be speaking, as will 11th Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard. In addition to these big names, there will also be talks devoted to changes in domestic violence policy and appellate defense matters. This talk will give attorneys the tools they need to make sure they don’t compromise any potential appeals during a trial. The speaker we’re most excited for, however, is our friend and mentor Hugh Rodgers. Mr. Rodgers has been practicing law in South Carolina since 1953. Before then, he was a Magistrate Judge. In Mr. Rodger’s day that involved overseeing a Lexington sheriff’s office with three deputies. Today, that number is over 400. Needless to say, Mr. Rodgers has seen his fair share of change over the decades, and he will provide fascinating information about the history of law practice in our state. With talks ranging from history to the latest changes in the law, we’re sure this CLE event will provide valuable information to attorneys. We expect 50–75 lawyers to attend, and we love to see such enthusiastic participation. Obviously, we want to provide the best service for our clients, and that doesn’t happen without continuing education. But we also want to see South Carolina defense attorneys get better as a whole, and this event is a small way of raising the bar.
Improving Lawyers Countywide Vicki Koutsogiannis’ CLE Seminar
The Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr. LLC | P: 803-753-1476
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