After more than a year of trying to dodge the Corona Virus, the summer of ‘21 is bound to be one you won’t forget. We are all eager to get out of the house and have some fun. Don’t let an accident mar your good times. To help you keep your family safe this summer, Delco Alarm Systems has a few summer safety tips to share.
WATER SAFETY
With Memorial Day the unofficial start of summer, people will head to pools, lakes and beaches to stay cool and have some fun. But water can also be deadly. Drowning is the leading cause of death of children ages 1 to 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drownings are also the second leading cause of preventable death in all children through age 15. Never leave a child unattended in water – bathtubs included. Make sure your children take swimming lessons, while knowing lessons are not guaranteed drowning protection. Only swim where there is lifeguard protection. And remember, lifeguards are not babysitters. If you can’t locate your child, check the water first. Supervise your children near water. They need your undivided attention.
Check out the American Red Cross website for more useful information on water safety.
NEVER LEAVE A CHILD UNATTENDED INSIDE OF A VEHICLE
Since 1998, 883 children have died from pediatric vehicular heatstroke (PVH). All of these deaths were preventable. Tragically, one child has already died this year from PVH. According to NoHeatStroke.org, the children that have died from vehicular heatstroke in the United States (1998-2020) have ranged in age from 5 days to 14 years. More than half of the deaths (54%) are children under 2 years of age.
As a parent, grandparent or caregiver, you might think that this could never happen to you. You’d be dead wrong. After examining media reports of pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths from 1998-2018, Pediatrics found that 54 percent of these children were forgotten by a caregiver. Some 26 percent gained access to the vehicle on their own and nearly 19 percent were knowingly left by a caregiver.
Most people know to never leave a child unattended inside of a vehicle for any period of time. Not for even a minute. If you see an unattended child inside of a vehicle, call 911 immediately. Don’t hesitate. You might save a child’s life.
Activists at NoHeatStroke.org offer some additional safety advice about kids and hot cars.
- Make sure all occupants, including pets, are out of the vehicle when unloading.
- Do not overlook sleeping babies.
- Educate all caregivers to do the same.
- Always lock your vehicle and make sure keys and remote access devices are out of reach of curious children.
- As with our tips about water safety, if a child is missing check the pool first then the car, including the trunk.
- Practice the “bag in the back” habit. Keep a stuffed animal in the child’s car seat. When the child is put in the seat put the animal in the front seat with the driver. Or put your purse or briefcase in the back seat as a reminder you have a child in the car.
Remember, on an 80 degree day, the temperature inside a closed vehicle can reach 106 in a mere 15 minutes.
BIKE SAFETY
Bicycling is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise. Before you head out, make sure you understand the rules of the road and take some simple safety precautions. All riders, children and adults, should wear an approved safety helmet. In most jurisdictions, it is the law. Ride with traffic on the far right-side of the roadway and follow the same traffic rules as motorized vehicles, with few exceptions. Teach your children the proper arm signals to use when riding. Make sure your children know to look and listen before making turns and to watch out for pedestrians, other cyclists and stationary objects as they ride along. Check that your children are wearing clothing that makes them visible to other drivers and always know where they are headed before they go out. The National Safety Council has some other tips to help cyclists stay safe while enjoying a ride.