Declaration of Local Emergency - Burn Ban

Halloween Safety Tips (Friday)

Today's Halloween Safety Tips

Motorists Please Drive Extra Safely on Halloween (Friday)

     Park your mobile phone. Avoid distractions by waiting until you've stopped to call, text, or surf.

     Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.

     Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.

     Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

     Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.

     Popular trick-or-treating hours are from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

     Slow down in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals. Drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.

     Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs. In dark costumes, they’ll be harder to see at night.

     Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and cross the street mid-block or between parked cars.

     Don't park in the street if you don't have to. You are better parking in a driveway, alley or other place off the road to give children and other motorists plenty of room.

     BE CAREFUL BACKING UP! Have someone stand behind the vehicle to make sure that no children are walking by.

Halloween Safety Tips (Thursday)

Today's Halloween Safety Tips 

Walk Safely 

     Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.

     Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. Constantly look for oncoming cars and low flying brooms!

     Put electronic devices away and keep your head up and walk, don’t run, across the street.

     Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.

     Walk, crawl, slither and sneak on sidewalks or paths, not in streets.

     If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. 

     Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.

     Watch for cars that are turning or backing up.

     Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Halloween Safety Tips (Wednesday)

Today's Halloween Safety Tips

Traffic Laws Still Apply on Halloween 

Halloween is also a time when people forget about the normal, day to day, traffic laws and take risks that would normally not be considered any other day of the year. For instance:

     Riding in the back of a pickup truck. State Code 46.2-1156.1 states "No person under sixteen years of age shall be transported in the rear cargo area of any pickup truck on the highways of Virginia. The provisions of this section shall not apply to transportation of persons in the bed of any pickup truck being operated (i) as part of an organized parade authorized by the Department of Transportation or the locality in which the parade is being conducted or (ii) on or across a highway from one field or parcel of land to another field or parcel of land in connection with farming operations." Just because it is Halloween, you cannot simply ride from street to street in the back of a truck or towed vehicle.

     Seatbelt Usage. State Code 46.2-1094 requires the use of seat belts for all front seat passengers over the age of sixteen. Further, 46.2-1095 states that child safety seats are also required to be used for children under eight years old. For information on the correct seat, visit: https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/safety/#programs/car_seats/seat_types.asp

     Riding in open cargo areas or hatchbacks. This is a common practice on Halloween.  However, the code requires passengers under sixteen to seat a seatbelt or be secured in a child safety seat.

     Riding in towed vehicles. Hay rides, while great fun on the farm, are not permitted on public streets. The passenger restraint requirements prohibit passengers from riding in towed wagons and trailers. 

Halloween Safety Tips (Tuesday)

Today's Halloween Tips- 

Trick or Treat With an Adult 

     Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision.

     Plan to make Trick or Treat visits in groups. It is always more fun with friends.

     Visit homes that have a porch light on.

     Accept your treats at the door. NEVER go into a stranger’s house.

     Be cautious of animals, strangers, ghouls and goblins.

Who Can Trick or Treat and When?

     In the Town of Abingdon, trick or treat visitations are restricted to children TWELVE (12) years of age and under.

     All Halloween visits must end at 10:00 p.m.

Halloween Tweet Along 10-31-16

Abingdon Police Department

For Immediate Release

Halloween Tweet Along

On Monday, October 31, 2016, the Abingdon Police Department will participate in a statewide Halloween Tweet Along. Law enforcement agencies from all over Virginia will be tweeting during various hours on Halloween night. The hashtag to follow the Halloween Tweet Along is #TweetsOnPatrol and it will allow followers to interact with the APD as well as other police departments. This tweet along allows the public an inside look to what law enforcement will be doing on Halloween night, from patrols of heavy pedestrians areas to building and property checks.

Follow the Abingdon Police Department on Twitter- @AbingdonVAPD for the Halloween Tweet Along. The tweet along will be conducted during the hours of 5:00 PM and 12:00 AM. For more information or questions, call the APD at 276-628-3111. 

Halloween Safety Tips (Monday)

Halloween has been celebrated on October 31^st in the United States since the early 1800’s and is traditionally a family-oriented holiday when children get to dress up and enjoy candy and other treats. In order to assist the Abingdon community in enjoying this fun-filled holiday as safely as possible, the Abingdon Police Department has compiled Halloween safety tips for children and their parents. Each day this week, the APD will post safety tips on their facebook, twitter, and blog as the countdown to Halloween is just 8 days away.

Keep Costumes both Creative and Safe 

     Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and choose light colors.

     Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.

     Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. 

     When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.