Thunder Radio Newsroom has received dozens of calls this week regarding “when door-to-door trick-or-treating” is to be held this year.
The answer is simple: Traditional trick-or-treating is on Halloween, which is Sunday, Oct. 31st.
The Manchester Mayor’s office confirmed to Thunder Radio news that “Halloween is on Sunday” and added that anyone planning to do door-to-door trick-or treating in Manchester should plan to do so that evening.
There are several community events scattered throughout the weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
There will be a trunk-or-treat event from 6-9 p.m. Friday at the old Southern Family Markets building on Hillsboro Blvd. That will include a costume contest, outdoor movie, food trucks and more fun. Meanwhile, the Coffee County Rescue Squad will have a Halloween Party from 5-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30th with trick-or-treating opportunities. There will be candy and hot dogs – located at 2270 Murfreesboro Highway.
Grace Baptist Church will have a trunk-or-treat from 5-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31. There are other various events being held by churches and businesses.
On average, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year according to Safe Kids Worldwide.
AAA of Tennessee recommends the following safety guidelines for drivers:
· Remain seated and buckled. Everyone in the vehicle should remain seated and buckled at all times, even when parked on the side of the road.
· Designate a navigator. If you need to check a map, take pictures, or do anything that will take your attention off the road, pull over or delegate those tasks to a passenger.
· If you are driving, focus on driving. Even going just a few miles over the speed limit in a residential neighborhood greatly increases the dangers for cyclists and pedestrians sharing the road.
· Keep an eye out for trick-or-treaters. Pedestrians can be very unpredictable, especially children. Be on the lookout for children’s shoes or costumes under vehicles to make sure they are not crossing the street between parked cars in neighborhoods.
AAA Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips
· Be visible. Light-colored clothing or costumes provide the best visibility to motorist. If unavailable, try adding reflective material or tape to costumes to increase visibility. Giving your child a glow stick or flashlight to carry also increases their chances of seeing and being seen by drivers.
· Cross the street responsibly. Cross using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look both ways before crossing the street and keep an eye on the road while are you are crossing. Remind your child to not cross the street mid-block or run out between parked cars in neighborhoods.
· Don’t walk distracted. Save the social media updates for before or after you go trick-or-treating. Avoid checking your phone while walking or supervising children.
· Stay on sidewalks. If no sidewalks are available, always walk facing traffic and stay as far to the left of the roadway as possible.
