Child safety experts share important message ahead of trick-or-treating in North Texas

While Halloween is all about fun for the family, it can also be dangerous.

Kids, trip-hazardous costumes, dark streets, and cars just aren't a good combination.

According to AAA, children are more than twice as likely to be hit and killed by a car on Halloween than on any other day of the year.

Mark Bradford with the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, a leader in child safety across DFW, said it’s important for parents and guardians to be on their game tonight but to also have fun.

"This Halloween is a perfect night for families to come together and be together," he said.

First, stay in groups with at least one adult walking with the group.

“It may be tempting to drive along and watch, but an adult being present with the kids on foot allows you to step in immediately if needed,” said Bradford.

Always trust your gut. If you have a bad feeling about a particular house or neighborhood, a large rowdy group, or a dark area – just avoid it.

“I think all of us have that instinct as in us when something doesn't feel right,” Bradford said. “You need to make sure you instill the confidence in your kids to speak up and say ‘Hey, I don't think we should go that way or I don't think we should go to that house.’”

Make sure the costumes fits properly to avoid tripping. For props, try to choose flexible, soft items rather than hard, sharp ones that could cause an injury.

"You don't want to have things dragging, you don't want to have things that might cause trip hazards," Bradford said.

Stay visible – use flashlights and glowsticks. Make sure the kids can easily see you and find you, too.

"Even though you might want to dress somebody up in all black or all gray or something that's dark in colors, make sure you give them some type of reflective strip or maybe a glow stick so they can see. Or maybe a little flashlight in their hands," he added.

At your own home, keep your patio area well-lit and clear of tripping hazards for visiting trick-or-treaters. Use battery-powered candles or LED lights in pumpkins to avoid fire risks. Be cautious with candles and open flames. Consider using flameless candles for decorations.

Once the trick-or-treating is over, examine all candy before eating. If it looks homemade or the seal is broken, toss it. Every year across the country, there are reports of something that ends up in a child’s bucket that should be there.

"We've seen that a lot here recently with candy that's laced with THC, that looks like a real package – it looks like Sour Patch Kids or it looks like gummy bears. So really make sure when you come home that you're examining that candy and not just looking at the pictures or the colors, that you're actually reading the label to make sure it is actually what's in there,” advised Bradford. “Always be cautious to make sure that you don't take homemade candy – that you look for things that are prepackaged, make sure it hasn't been opened or make sure it hasn't been tampered with before you allow your kids to indulge in the sweets."

Halloween night is also a good night to remind your child of their emergency contacts and how to call 911 in case of an accident or emergency.

Drivers should also be careful of pedestrians on Halloween night.

Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center held a trunk-or-treat event for dozens of clients and their families last week. They are planning more events for families for the upcoming holidays and need volunteers/donations to keep the mission going.

DCAC is the only agency of its kind in Dallas County fighting child abuse. Their team reads every report of child abuse in Dallas County - about 30,500 reports each year -  and then coordinates the cases that rise to the level of a criminal offense.

For more details about their efforts to help children, click here.