It's Halloween. Here are the City of Long Beach's tips for a safe haunt.

Trick or treating, though the key ritual in a night of Halloween scares and horrors, is actually a lovely thing. One night a year, families dress their children in costumes and then send them off to their neighbors, who compliment them on their fashion choices and give them free candy and other sweets.

But it's late October now, it gets darker a lot earlier and (to our columnist Jake Gotta's eternal consternation) our streets were designed for automobiles, not pedestrians.

Here are some tips, provided by Long Beach officials, to help you keep your young ones safe as they venture out in search of tasty treats this Halloween:

• Don’t Go Alone. Everyone going out should have an adult with them. There's safety in groups, and someone should bring a cellphone. And please don't go inside people's homes or cars.
• Drivers Beware. Drivers out on Halloween night should be extra patient and alert, especially on residential streets. Slow down!
• Designate a Route. Trick-or-treaters should walk from house to house, stay on sidewalks, be smart when crossing the street, stay out of alleys if you can and please, please don't walk in front of cars. In fact, be like Aaron Judge—don't get hits!
• Inspect Before You Ingest. Adults should inspect all the look their kids bring back, looking for tampering, pinholes or anything else suspicious. Toss anything that looks sketchy.
• Allergy Alert. Be aware that most candies contain some kind of allergens, so kids with sensitivities should not eat anything that hasn't been inspected first.
• Choking Hazards. Parents of especially young children should be mindful of potential choking hazards from hard candies, gum and small toys.
• Costume Care. Be careful with complex costumes that are large, contain sharp edges or fire hazards.
• Can You See? Take a flashlight and/or glow sticks when walking dark streets. Reflective tape on costumes isn't a bad idea, either.
• Carve Carefully. Carving jack-o'-lanterns is fun, but knives are sharp so try to use good judgment, especially if the kids are helping out.
• Candles Out. Putting open flame candles inside jack-o-lanterns may look badass, but it's mind-numbingly stupid. Let's try to keep accidental fires to a minimum by using battery-operated lights or glow sticks instead.
• Keep Clear. Test your smoke alarms just in case and keep all fire exits clear of decorations.
• Might Bite. Watch out for dogs or other animals you encounter during trick-or-treating and keep your own pets indoors, and away from any sweets.
• Boo Booze. Halloween celebrations often include alcohol (duh), but that can increase your risk of injury or death from accidental falls, burns, drownings and other hazards. So if you drink, do so responsibly.
• Don’t DUI. City officials say the Long Beach Police Department will conduct "saturation patrols" Halloween night. Use a designated driver, rideshare or public transit.
• Curfew Reminder. Keep in mind that city law prohibits anyone 17 or younger from being out past 10 p.m. without a parent or guardian, unless going to or returning home from work or an organized event supervised by an adult, without any detour or stop.

And, of course, beware sinister-looking clowns who may want to carry your children off into the night... happy Halloween!