Steer Clear and Stay Safe This Halloween

Whether you are hosting trick-or-treaters, chaperoning little ghouls and goblins around the neighborhood or going to a costume party, we've put together some tips to ensure the biggest risk they'll face is a candy-induced cavity

Whether your customers are hosting trick-or-treaters, chaperoning little ghouls and goblins around the neighborhood or going to a costume party, we've put together some tips to ensure the biggest risk they'll face is a candy-induced cavity. Share these tips with your customers on social media or your website.

Making your home safe for Halloween

Get your sidewalk neat before they trick-or-treat - Walk the path from the street to your door and clear anything that trick-or-treaters could trip over or slip and injure themselves. This includes gardening equipment, hoses, toys, potted plants, lawn ornaments and even Halloween decorations that block the path to your front door.

Make your yard spooky, not dangerous - Be sure to clean up before candy-fueled children charge through your yard. Remove dead branches, sticks and acorns, rake up the leaves, fill in holes and trim your hedges to prevent any injuries.

A well-lit driveway can still be scary - There's nothing scarier for a homeowner than seeing a masked trick-or-treater blindly stagger up your dark driveway. Help them out by turning on all of your exterior lights and lining your driveway and sidewalk with lights or luminaries. Never use any open flames, which could lead to disaster and injury. Instead, use LED tea lights or other decorative Halloween lights to prevent a fire. These should also be used in jack-o-lanterns in lieu of candles.

Keep your beasts in the dungeon - It doesn't matter if you've got a vampire bat or a kitten as a pet, a constantly ringing doorbell can be too much excitement for your animal. To keep your pet from sprinting out of your open front door and possibly injuring someone, keep them confined to another room in the house.

Safe driving tips for Halloween

No speed demons allowed - If you are driving through a residential area, drive as slow as possible. Avoid passing stopped vehicles in case they are dropping off children. You should also be especially cautious when entering and exiting driveways.

The horrors of distraction - On Halloween, neighborhoods are filled with children unexpectedly darting out into the street. Put away your cell phone and don't look away from the road to ensure you don't injure any trick-or-treaters. You should also never drive while wearing a mask.

Turn signals aren't terrifying - Communicate your intentions to pedestrians and other drivers by using your turn signals. If you're dropping off trick-or-treaters, pull over and use your hazard lights.

Drinking on Halloween can be a nightmare - It doesn't matter if you're driving or walking, drinking on Halloween can be a deadly choice. The combination of alcohol and the increased number of people walking in the streets at night makes Halloween the most dangerous night of the year for pedestrians.

If your customers ever experience a loss, New Jersey Skylands' claim team will guide them through the entire claim process and get their life back on track as soon as possible. We pride ourselves on quickly and accurately reaching a fair resolution to every claim.

For information on coverage, visit The Insurance Centers site or contact Zita Santos-Martinez at 732-832-4132.