Halloween Curfew, Reminders From Wall Township Police

WALL, NJ — Wall Township police are reminding residents of the curfew that is in effect for the remainder of the week around Halloween.

The police department also has some safety reminders for parents and children as they prepare to go out for treats on Thursday evening, to add to ones they may have collected at the township Recreation Department's Trunk-or-Treat last week.

The township's curfew, which began Tuesday, runs from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. and is in effect for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights. In Wall Township, children are not allowed to be on any public street or in any public place during those hours, unless accompanied by their parents or guardian; unless working or going to or from work; running an errand involving a medical emergency, or attending an extracurricular school activity, or an activity sponsored by a religious or community-based organization. Parents or guardians cannot allow unaccompanied children out in public during the curfew hours.

If you're planning to head out Thursday night, police urge parents and children to keep these safety tips in mind.

• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by other drivers.
• Children under 12 should trick-or-treat and cross streets with an adult. Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
• Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never run out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• Children under 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.

Reminders for drivers:

• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for children at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Drive slowly and anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from a greater distance.

Double-check candy:

• Check treats for signs of tampering before children are allowed to eat them.
• Remind children to eat only treats in original, unopened wrappers.
• Candy should be thrown away if the wrapper is faded or torn, or if candy is unwrapped.
• While glow sticks are good for visibility, remember that the liquid in glow sticks is also hazardous, so parents should remind children not to chew on or break them.

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