Halloween safety tips: From tossing loose candy to wearing bright costumes and more

LOS ANGELES - The Auto Club of Southern California near downtown Los Angeles spent Sunday teaching kids and parents how to be safe while out on the streets this Halloween, including how to wear their masks with eyes wide open, how to watch out for cars and more.

For some, this Halloween will be time trick-or-treating since COVID-19 set in back in 2020, and many are excited. Some booths at the event taught kids safe bike riding, while most handed out candy while the Auto Club's Doug Shupe handed out advice.

Here are the Auto Club's tips for staying safe this Halloween:

• Wear bright costumes
• Use reflective tape to help kids stand out
• Make sure costumes, masks and shoes fit well
• Trick-or-treat with a group
• Make sure all kids have a flashlight

Dr. Angelique Campen, an Emergency Room Physician at Providence St. Joseph Hospital said she's seen an uptick in Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and the flu, all while COVID is still out there.

"Go trick-or-treating in neighborhoods that you know," she said. "Continue to protect yourself washing your hands frequently. You don't have to disinfect all your candy, but keep a distance."

SUGGESTED: Thousands of fentanyl pills in candy boxes seized at LAX; suspect gets away

DEA Special Agent Bill Bodner is also warning about candy this Halloween. Bodner said federal agents recently found some 1,200 fentanyl pills disguised as candy at Los Angeles International Airport. But, Bodner said he doesn't think "there's a significant chance that we would see these bags, these pills, end up in peoples trick-or-treat bags," 

Still, he and others say toss out loose candy not in original packaging, and, enjoy the holiday safely.