Over the years, Halloween observance has evolved into a light-hearted celebration associated with candy and fun-spirited pranks. Though tales of wicked witches, evil goblins and ghost haunting are merely part of the fun, safety precautions remain a necessary part of the merriment. High-tech devices and apps can also ensure that you don’t get spooked!
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates tallied 36 million trick-or-treaters roaming the streets on All Hallows’ Eve in 2008. Previous years have shown Halloween as one of the heaviest wireless-calling days of the year. Halloween typically ranks among the most popular days for picture or video messaging. Last year MMS volume spiked 44 percent on Halloween over the previous week!
That is why AT&T has compiled a list of safety tips to keep in mind before your children hit the streets in search of goodies:
- Go mobile: Whether packing their personal cell or a temporary pre-paid phone, ensure each costumed child parading the streets has a fully-charged communication device in tow.
- Secure the line of communication: Pre-program contact information of parents, neighbors and emergency services into your and your child’s speed dial, and be sure you know how to access these numbers with ease.
- Ensure accessibility: Use a belt clip or carrying case to make sure phones do not get tangled in costumes.
- Establish boundaries: Families should have in place a familiarized route for children to follow while out on the town. Mobile navigation tools can assist parents and kids in creating routes, and goblins on the go can reference maps throughout the evening. Similarly, AT&T’s FamilyMap Viewer allows parents to easily and immediately locate a family member’s whereabouts from their mobile device or PC so they can keep a close watch.
- Be in touch: Set up periodic alarms with Halloween-themed tones as a reminder for trick-or-treaters to text or call home between candy collecting stops.
- Keep ears on the ready: As part of a continued effort to remain aware of surroundings and keep smooth the lines of communication, sweet seekers should turn up their phone volume and listen for incoming call and message alerts.
- Don’t miss a thing: Phones also come installed with photo, video and audio recorders, allowing spur-of-the-moment happenings to be captured and shared among friends and family in real time. AT&T’s Video Share allows you to see live video on your handset while a voice call is taking place.
- Be a wireless Samaritan: Any suspicious behavior must be immediately reported to the proper authority and shared among neighbors, whose numbers should be on hand and in reach.
- Drive safely: With pedestrians filling streets and sidewalks, it is more important than ever for drivers to stay alert behind the wheel. If a call needs to be made or a message checked, pull over. And remember, don’t text while driving.
Have fun and Happy Halloween!
