Volume 22 Issue 45                                                                                    Summer 2022

Thank you for being part of the Safety Source family!

Summer Safety Edition

Our July monthly newsletter highlights how to stay safe during the summer holidays and provides you with tips on how to keep your whole family safe all summer long. Our July newsletter highlights Firework safety, Open Water safety, Car Seats and Travel, and Driving While Impaired. There are interactive tools for your children to learn the importance of firework safety, as well as a coloring activity. 

 There is also a tasty summer recipe! We hope this is a fun way to start your summer as a family. Let us know if we can be a resource to you in any way!

With the 4^th of July right around the corner, most families love grilling outside or going out on the water, but the activity that most children really look forward to is the fireworks. Although the spectacular colorful show keeps the young ones mesmerized, it is very important to be very cautious when handling your own fireworks. Below are some basic rules the CDC suggests following to keep accidents at a minimum:

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don't realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

In recent years, lawmakers have been making more powerful fireworks easier to access to the public. One example is Roman candles, with enough force to remove a hand, and it does not help in the slightest that they are a very hands-on firework. From 2019 to 2020, there has been a 50% increase in deaths due to fireworks, and almost 16,000 people were sent to the Emergency Room with firework related injuries. Of these injuries, firecrackers and sparklers are the leading causes of burns, loss of fingers, and loss of sight. Sparklers account for more than half of firework related injuries for children. To keep the danger to a minimum here are some alternatives/tips to keep children out of the blast zone:

• Instead of using sparklers, use glowsticks for younger children
• Instead of buying fireworks, attend a firework display to allow professionals to deal with the danger

• If buying fireworks, avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.

Before celebrating 4^th of July this year, make sure children and anyone handling fireworks have been educated to stay safe. Keep these basic rules in mind to have the summer vibes flowing injury free!

Sources:

https://www.safekids.org/blog/fourth-july-lets-leave-fireworks-professionals

https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Ed...

Heading to the beach this summer is a perfect way to cool off during these hot afternoons! It is important to remember though that open water poses a risk to children; each year, in the U.S., an estimated 1,000 children fatally drown, most of them between May and August. Fortunately, there are actions you can take to proactively prevent such tragedies. Be sure your family enjoys the water safely this summer by following these tips.

• Assign an adult to watch kids in or around water at all times, without being distracted. Keep young children and inexperienced swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult. Make sure older children swim with a partner every time.

• Make sure your child knows how to swim: Enroll children in swim lessons when they are ready to boost their confidence and awareness in water.

• Have children wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when participating in recreational activities on the water. Make sure that these devices are properly fitted to the child based on their age, weight, and the water activity.

• Use designated swimming areas and recreational areas whenever possible. These areas have been assessed for safety and can help you avoid hazards of open water like cold temperatures, uneven surfaces, and dangerous currents.

• Learn basic water rescue skills and CPR: It is important to know how to respond and help children in an emergency without putting yourself at risk of drowning.

Sources

https://www.safekids.org/blog/keeping-kids-safe-open-water#:~:text=Children%20should%20wear%20a%20U.S.,and%20recreational%20areas%20whenever%20possible.

https://ndpa.org/10-open-water-safety-tips/

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/water-safety-outdoors.html

Is your family going on a trip this summer? Will you drive or fly? While you prepare for summer fun and family time, do not forget that child passenger safety does not just apply in your car. It is important every ride, every time. That means you need to take into consideration how your child will stay safe during each part of your travels this summer.

Keep these travel safety tips in mind as you head to your summer vacation destination:

If you are driving-

• Before you leave, use this quick, 15-minute check list to ensure your car seat is installed correctly and ready to go for your trip₍₁₎.
• In an SUV or van where the luggage and other items are in trunk space not separated from the cabin area of the vehicle, secure all loose items so that they do not fall during the drive (and impact children) or become projectiles in a crash ₍₂₎.
  • Stacked items become unsteady and can fall during travel or interfere with the driver’s field of vision in their mirrors which poses additional dangers ₍₂₎.
  • Consider shipping some items to avoid an overcrowded cabin.
  • Be sure heavy items are low in the load space of the vehicle to avoid falling or becoming a projectile in the event of emergency braking ₍₂₎.
  • Before you go, quickly check that the load is secure in your vehicle by slowly moving forward and punching the brake while in your driveway. If it remains secure, it’s ready to go ₍₂₎.

If you are flying-

• Use your car seat for your child in their own airplane seat if it’s FAA approved and check your car seat at the gate (most airlines this is free or reimbursable) if it is a booster seat ₍₃₎.
• If you are planning to use rental, taxi, or ride-share services once at your destination:
  • Plan to have your child’s seat with you to use in the rental or ride-share vehicle. Children should be properly restrained every ride, every time.
  • Re-familiarize yourself with proper install of your child’s car seat if it’s been a while since you’ve had to do it and prepare yourself with enough time to install and un-install each time you travel in a vehicle during your trip.
  • If your rental car company offers car seats to use, be sure to look it over when you receive it and be sure they have the instruction manual offered with it as well prior to accepting it. If it appears in good working order, is not out-of-date, and you can install it correctly in the rented vehicle based off instructions, it should be safe to use ₍₃₎.

With a few checklists and simple safety reminders, the whole family can safely travel. Plan for some delays if you are flying, and plan to encounter some traffic if you drive. Take a little extra time in your travel to take breaks to stretch, play, and eat well, and do the best you can to stick to your child’s usual schedule ₍₂₎. This will help reduce the frustrations of travel day for children and parents alike. The joys of a family trip can be one of the best parts of parenthood, so we must take the necessary safety precautions to keep everyone safe during all your travel adventures this summer. For more car seat safety information and travel tips, visit the our car seat tip page.

Sources:

https://www.safekids.org/node/4201

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/12/tips-for-keeping-children-safe-during-holiday-travel/index.htm

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Travel-Safety-Tips.aspx

Driving while impaired by any substance puts you and others in harm’s way.¹ Impaired driving can be caused by alcohol, marijuana, prescription drugs, or any other substance that can alter the driver’s mental status. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in 2018, 20.5 million people aged 16 or older drove under the influence of alcohol in the past year and 12.6 million drove under the influence of illicit drugs.³ Driving impaired is against the law in all 50 states including states where marijuana laws have changed.

The effect of drugged driving is dependent on the substance that was taken. For example, marijuana can slow reaction time, impair judgment of time and distance, and decrease coordination. Drivers who have used cocaine or methamphetamine can be aggressive and reckless when driving. Certain kinds of prescription medicines, including benzodiazepines and opioids, can cause drowsiness, dizziness, and impair the driver’s ability to think and use judgment.³ Even if the driver only drives under the influence using a small amount of the drug, it can still influence their driving.

Teen drivers are more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle crash due to inexperience than any other group. Mixing inexperience with being under the influence can be a dangerous cocktail for both the driver and others on the road.

Remember these safety tips to stay safe on the road:

• The best option for teen drivers is to avoid any substance that may lead to impaired driving.

• If you are under the influence, use a ride-sharing app to get home or designate someone to be the sober driver.

• Hold your family and friends accountable. Do not let a loved one get behind the wheel if they have been under the influence.

• Consider appointing someone to the designated driver and collecting everyone’s car keys.

• Always wear your seat belt- it is your best defense against impaired drivers.

1. https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving
2. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/teendrinkinganddriving/index.html
3. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/drugged-driving
4. https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving