It’s Halloween time, and there’s plenty to do in the Tri-Lakes area with the kids this coming weekend.

Events planned by the Town of Monument include the annual Safe Trick-or-Treat downtown from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31. Monument Police will be on patrol throughout the event to ensure participants’ safety. The Downtown Monument Business Association is hosting the event and businesses will be passing out treats.

I like this idea — in addition to or as an alternative to — neighborhood trick-or-treating. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Halloween trick-or-treating in my suburban Pennsylvania neighborhood growing up. But it was, in fact, more than four decades ago and times were … different, and I daresay safer. My neighborhood was small and contained, and most people knew each other and all the kids.

In the Tri-Lakes area, some neighborhoods are very big and highly trafficked, and not all homes are in neighborhoods. Some are spread out in rural areas. So a community trick-or-treat in a central spot during daytime hours sounds like a pretty “sweet” event for kids and for parents. Also, patrolling police will be ensuring all are safe.

The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles recently issued a news release cautioning drivers to be on the lookout for pedestrians, especially during October and at night.

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month.

In 2020, more than 6,500 pedestrians were killed in traffic collisions in the U.S., with more than half of those deaths occurring during low-light hours, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The DMV release states that in Colorado, there’s been a steady increase in pedestrian fatalities, with 2020 having the highest number of pedestrian fatalities — 93 —which accounts for 15% of all traffic-related fatalities, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation report.

The awareness month is recognized at a time when most of us spend a lot of time outdoors, and there are Halloween celebrations and trick-or-treating. And in Colorado, it’s not out-of-the-norm for it to snow on Halloween, which can make it even tougher to see while walking or driving.

The DMV offers these eight safety tips when driving (during October and anytime):

1. Be on the lookout for pedestrians at all times.
2. Use extra caution when driving in hard-to-see conditions, such as nighttime or bad weather.
3. Slow down and be prepared to stop when turning or entering a crosswalk
4. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and stop well back from the crosswalk to give other vehicles an opportunity to see the pedestrian crossing so they can stop too.
5. Never pass vehicles stopped at a crosswalk. There may be people crossing where you can’t see.
6. Never drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
7. Follow the speed limit, especially around people on the street, in school zones and in neighborhoods where children are present.
8. Be extra cautious when backing up and look for pedestrians.

It seems like pedestrian deaths are becoming more common, judging by the number of fatalities that are reported weekly in Colorado Springs.

Halloween is supposed to be fun, especially for little ones, and no one wants to see trick-or-treaters get hurt.

Additionally, here are some safety tips from The National Safety Council for trick-or-treating:

• A responsible adult should accompany young children on the neighborhood rounds
• If older children are going alone, plan and review a route acceptable to you
• Agree on a specific time children should return home
• Teach your children never to enter a stranger’s home or car
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar, well-lit areas and stick with their friends
• Tell your children not to eat any treats until they return home, and take care to avoid any food allergies

Also, have kids wear glow sticks, carry flashlights or wear headlamps while trick-or-treating around dusk or dark.

To learn more about Monument’s Halloween activities, go to downtownmonument.org/downtown-events/.

Have fun and be safe!

Courier Editor Michelle Karas has called the Pikes Peak region home since 2015. Contact her at michelle.karas@pikespeaknewspapers.com.

A Halloween scene includes a mad scientist, Erin Sullivan, and shaggy dog, Laura Sullivan, dancing as they join other characters marching down Franklin Street during the annual Franklin Street Halloween Parade in the Patty Jewett neighborhood in Colorado Springs last year.

Christian Murdock, The Gazette file

Michelle Karas