5 Ways to Keep Your Family Safe
Recent world events may have you feeling especially concerned about your family's safety. The biggest threats to safety, though, are very close to home. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), motor vehicle accidents, falls, accidental poisoning, drowning, and choking is the leading causes of unintentional death in the United States. Don't overlook some of the easiest ways to keep your family safe. These 10 tips can help.
1. Buckle up. In the event of a car accident, this simple act can mean the difference between life and death. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 33, according to the NSC. About every 12-1/2 minutes, someone in the United States is killed because of an auto accident. Every 14 seconds, someone suffers a disabling injury. Seat belts save the lives of thousands of people every year.
2. Use child safety seats. Using a child safety seat can reduce the risk for fatal injury by about 70 percent in children under age 1. Be sure to install the seat properly—close to 80 percent are not installed correctly. The safest place for a child safety seat is in the middle of the back seat. If a child must ride in the front passenger seat, the airbag should be turned off. For more information on how to install car seats, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
3. Don't drink and drive. Consider this: Approximately 40 percent of auto accident deaths involve drinking. In drunk-driving deaths involving children, over 60 percent of the children are riding in the drunk driver's car. About three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related traffic accident at some point in their lives, the NSC says. If you will be drinking, designate a nondrinker to drive. Or call a cab.
4. Wear a helmet. Always use a helmet when biking or when playing sports, such as football, hockey, or baseball. About 800 bicyclists die each year in crashes involving motor vehicles, the NSC says. A head injury often results in irreversible damage to the brain. Wearing a helmet can cut the risk of head injury by about 85 percent. Enforce strict rules with your kids—no helmet, no playing the sport or biking. Set a good example by wearing your helmet when biking.
5. Prevent falls. More than 50 percent of all falls occur in the home. The CDC reports that about 20,000 people age 65 and older die each year of falls.
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