Message from Mayor Josh Losardo | October 28, 2021

Being safe on Halloween is no trick. As we plan for a ghoulish Sunday in Scotch Plains, I’m hoping that everyone follows some basic tips to make sure Halloween is an enjoyable night with little fright.

The Scotch Plains police will be out in full force, focusing on pedestrian safety, especially as it is getting dark out even earlier, before 6 p.m. As the police prepare for the weekend festivities, they have asked me to share some suggestions with you. Here we go:

For trick-or-treaters:

• One of the most important safety tips for Halloween trick-or-treating is having adult supervision at all times, especially when there is so much vehicular traffic. Not having an adult monitoring the children could also be a violation of the law.
• Ensure your child’s costume is safe. Costumes should fit right to prevent tripping, should be appropriate for the cooler weather and should allow for clear and unobstructed vision. They should also be highly visible. (Hear that, ghouls and goblins?)
• Parents, along with children, should have flashlights to illuminate sidewalks, as well as to provide a warning to motorist of your location from a greater distance. Having glow sticks attached to your child’s costume is another way to increase visibility and adds to the holiday mood.
• Stick to trick-or-treating in neighborhoods in which you are familiar and stay away from homes with poor lighting. (The occupants are likely not home or their candy is terrible.) Unfamiliar homes can also be dangerous as there might be unfriendly dogs not celebrating the holiday.
• Once trick-or-treating is done, parents should fully “examine” the candy, take the best stuff for themselves and ensure what is given to the children is not tampered in any way.

• Adults have been known to enjoy spirits, as they enjoy the, um, spirits. If you or a friend consumes an intoxicating substance, don’t drive. It’s just not worth it.
• Avoid using smartphones. We don’t want distracted drivers in Scotch Plains, on Halloween or ever.
• If you see a drunk driver or impaired pedestrian on the road, contact the police at 908-322-7100. It’s best if you can provide a license plate description of the vehicle and direction of travel on the road.  
• Be on alert for all road users, especially wide-eyed, sugar-infused kiddies who will think nothing of darting between vehicles and sprinting across the roads.

• Scotch Plains has great sidewalks. Use them. Drivers do not expect to see you walking in the road. That’s where they go.
• Cross with a traffic signal if there is one. Even if you have the right of way, make sure traffic has stopped or passed before you step into the street.
• Keep your face out of your phone and focus on where you are walking.  
• Before the Halloween festivities begin, plan a way to get home safely. Drinking large quantities of alcohol affects judgment, balance, and reaction time, or so I’ve been told. So create a “buddy system” to get each other home safely. Walking impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving.

I hope you have a wonderful, safe, fun-filled Halloween in Scotch Plains. Keep an eye out for me on your travels; I’ll be dressed as your mayor, in search of the perfect Milk Dud.