Shared from Safe Kids Worldwide
Month: May 2022
Keeping Young Walkers Safe on the Road
Our babies take their first steps and then there is no stopping them. Toddlers delight in using their new walking abilities as much as possible. As kids get older, they then crave the freedom and independence of playing outside, walking to school and being more independent. As soon as kids are on the move, parents need to start talking to them about how to be safe and to be aware while walking.
Unintentional pedestrian injuries are a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States for children ages 5 to 19. Teenagers are most at-risk for pedestrian injuries, with cell phones and other handheld gadgets often leading to distraction and greater risk on the roads. Whether your kids are just starting to walk, old enough to play outside, or walking to school, there are ways that we can educate our kids and help keep them safe. Here are some tips.
- Instruct kids at an early age to look left, right, and left again before crossing the street. Then remind them to continue looking until safely across.
- Children under 10 years old should cross the street with an adult. Every child is different, but developmentally, it can be hard for kids to judge speed and distance of cars until age 10.
- Teach kids to put phones, headphones, and devices down when crossing the street. It is particularly important to reinforce this message with teenagers.
- It is always best to walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
- Cross streets at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Most injuries happen mid-block or someplace other than intersections.
- Remind kids to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them and to watch out for cars that are turning or backing up.
- Be a good role model for your child. Set a good example by following these safety tips when you are walking with your kids.
Heatstroke and Safety
| Safe Kids Worldwide seeks to reduce heatstroke and injury deaths. Here is a small excerpt of the information that they have published. Sometimes babies are so peaceful and quiet in the backseat that we can forget they are even there, and it can be tempting to leave a sleeping baby in the car so we don’t have to wake them up while we quickly run into the store. But leaving a child alone in a car can lead to serious injury or death from heatstroke, even in cooler temperatures. On average, every 10 days a child dies from heatstroke in a vehicle. In more than half of these deaths, the caregiver forgot the child was in the car. A car can heat up by 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. And cracking a window doesn’t help. Young children are particularly at risk, as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. Reduce the number of deaths from heatstroke by remembering to ACT. Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not inside so kids don’t get in on their own. Create reminders. Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child’s car seat when it’s empty, and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. Or place and secure your phone, briefcase or purse in the backseat when traveling with your child. Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations Learn more! |