LEE COUNTY, Fla. - Halloween is this weekend, so WINK News wants to pass along some tips to keep the festivities from turning into a nightmare!

Safety should be the first thing on everyone's mind, so be sure to review the following pointers with your family before trick-or-treating

The  following safety tips can make a difference.

·          Parents should accompany young children.
·          Don't go inside a stranger's house, no matter what anyone says.
·          Trick-or-Treaters should always be in groups so they aren't a tempting target for real life goblins.
·          Make a map of your Trick-or-Treat route and check the route against the sex offender database.
·          Stay in your own neighborhood.
·          Stop only at well lit houses.
·          Carry a flashlight or light stick.
·          Use make up instead of a mask so you can see.
·          Wear light colored clothing or costumes.
·          Always keep a safe distance between you and moving cars.
·          Be respectful of other people and their property.
·          Screen all treats before you eat them.
·          Don't accept and, especially, don't eat anything not commercially wrapped.
·          Start early, end early.
·          Use sidewalks or walk facing traffic.
·          Stop, look and listen at corners.
·          Walk, don't run.
·          Don't go between parked cars or crisscross back and forth across streets or into traffic.
·          Don't carry sharp instruments.
·          Never carry a lighted torch or candles.

Before heading out to "trick-or-treat" this Halloween, visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Sexual Offender and Predator database, http://offender.fdle.state.fl.us, to ensure the residences your children are visiting do not house registered sex offenders.