The Dawson County Sheriff's Office and Emergency Management Agency reminds parents to make sure children are safe this Halloween.

With Halloween on Monday, motorists should also anticipate finding trick-or-treaters on local roads and neighborhoods as early as 5 p.m.

Sheriff's Capt. Tony Wooten encourages parents to use caution on the roads and with treats.

"If you're out at night, make sure the area is well lit, and be familiar with the places you take the kids trick-or-treating," he said.

According to SafeKids of Georgia, twice as many children are killed while walking on Halloween as compared to any other day of the year.

Emergency Management Director Billy Thurmond offers the following basic Halloween safety recommendations:

• Children should only go trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods or in familiar areas.

• Children should be accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult.

• Children should not enter the homes of strangers.

• Children should carry flashlights, and wear light-colored costumes or have reflective tape on them.

• Parents or responsible adults should inspect the candies that children receive. Items that are unwrapped should be discarded, even though incidents of deliberate tampering with candy are rare.

• Motorists should be particularly cautious and watchful for children who might dart into the street.