News Flash

The Community Resource Unit (CRU) of the Durham Police Department is holding a Trunk or Treat event Saturday, October 29, 2016, at the Walmart Supercenter at 1525 Glenn School Road from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shoppers, passer-byers, and the general public are invited to participate in the festivities. The event is the culminating activity of the department’s observance of National Crime Prevention Month.

A variety of public safety vehicles will be on display and furnished with candy treats for participants. Trick-or-Treating safety tips and crime prevention materials will also be available for pick-up. While supplies last, children ages 5 to 9 are eligible to receive a LED light up bracelet to promote pedestrian safety on Halloween and throughout the year. Bracelet settings include fast flashes, slow flashes and constant light.

Watch For Me NC Program: Practice Pedestrian and Motorist Safety
More than 2,200 pedestrians are injured or killed in collisions with motor vehicles in North Carolina each year, and more than a third of those collisions occur in the evening or at night. Thousands of children are expected to be parading the streets on October 31. As a Watch For Me NC partner, the Durham Police Department joins the North Carolina Department of Transportation in promoting these safety tips to help make this year’s fall celebrations safer and more enjoyable:

For Parents

Before children start out on their trick-or-treat rounds, parents should:
• Plan and discuss a safe route trick-or-treaters intend to follow and establish a return time. Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along the established route.
• Make sure that an adult or an older responsible youth will be supervising the outing for children under age 12.
• Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars.
• Let children know that they should stay together as a group if going out to trick-or-treat without an adult.
• Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including pedestrian/traffic safety rules.

For Trick-or-Treaters

• To have a safe trick-or-treating adventure, trick-or-treaters should:
• Stay in familiar neighborhoods along the established route and stop only at familiar houses unless accompanied by an adult.
• Walk on sidewalks, not in the street. If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.
• Cross streets at crosswalks when available. Look both ways before crossing streets and cross when the lights tell you to cross, after you check for cars in all directions.
• Carry a flashlight, wear clothing with reflective markings or tape, and stay in well-lit areas. Wear a watch you can read in the dark.
• Don't cut across yards or driveways.

For Motorists

Motorists should be especially alert on Halloween and should:
• Drive slowly through residential streets and areas where pedestrian trick-or-treating could be expected.
• Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
• At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing.

About Watch for Me NC

The Watch for Me NC program is a collaborative effort to reduce pedestrian and bicycle-related crashes through enhanced education and enforcement of safety laws. The program, which is being coordinated by a group of partners, including the North Carolina Department of Transportation, UNC Highway Safety Research Center, and many local communities, consists of pedestrian, bicycle and driver-focused safety messages as well as concerted efforts by area police to enforce relevant laws. To learn more about the program, visit www.watchformenc.org.