Area police departments and safety groups are hoping for a safe and happy Halloween.

While hope is a good thing, the same groups say it helps to be proactive.

Blacksburg Police Chief Jamie Ham, for instance, offered some traditional rules of thumb for both trick-ortreaters and motorists alike.

“Only take your kids to places you know and trust,” Ham said. “Church functions are a great place to go.”

He also suggests going out early to take advantage of daylight and to never go out alone. It’s always best to stay in groups and have parental or adult guidance.

And while it may ruin the look of a carefully-crafted costume, some reflective tape or markers will greatly help with visibility, police and safety advocates say.

It also helps to carry a flashlight, not only for your own safety but to make you more visible.

Motorists are advised, too, to be on the lookout as the streets will be filled with eager children.

“They can run across a road without thinking,” Ham said. “Definitely, drivers need to be extra careful.”

While it’s not usually a troublesome holiday for police, Ham said Blacksburg will have extra officers out on patrol as a safety precaution.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, meanwhile, will be out Saturday conducting checks on registered sex offenders.

Here are a few additional safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control, the Consumer Products Safety Commission and the National Fire Protection Association:

 Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them.

 Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.

 Always test makeup in a small area first and remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.

 Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

 Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

 Eat only factorywrapped treats.

 Avoid homemade treats unless you know the cook well.

 Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.

 Never walk near lit candles or luminaries.

 Be sure to wear flameresistant costumes. The packages will be marked.

 Be extra careful with long costumes or costumes with long sleeves.

 People expecting trickor treaters should remove anything that could be an obstacle from lawns, steps and porches.

 Candlelit Jack-o’-lanterns should be kept away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.

 Indoor Jack-o’-lanterns should be kept away from curtains, decorations, and