Posted on: June 29, 2007
Stay Safe for Summer
Accidents happen, especially during the carefree summer months. Avoid these common mistakes to keep loved ones out of harm’s way
By Bev Bennett
CTW Features
If you want to avoid accidents this summer, stay in bed.
But if you’re going to take advantage of the warm weather and long days, be careful out there. July is the top month for injury-related deaths, according to recent statistics from the National Safety Council in Itasca, Ill.
“Leisure-time can be risky, our guard is down,” says Elizabeth Wilson, executive director, communications and public relations for the National Safety Council, Itasca, Ill.
Although traffic accidents still account for the greatest number of summer fatalities, health experts are alarmed about the increasing number of accidental deaths that occur in the home and community.
Being distracted, whether in a car, on the basketball court (shooting hoops results in about 500,000 injuries a year) or while mowing the lawn, can cause accidents.
It’s hard to prevent other people from doing risky things, but you can take some steps to protect yourself, say health experts.
Falls are the third leading accidental cause of death (behind poisoning), and people over age 65 are most vulnerable to life-threatening complications.
“Check the condition of your walkways and steps. Check the yard. You can break your ankle because you step into a depression,” says Wilson.
In or outside your home, never climb a ladder when you’re alone.
“Wait until someone else is around. Minutes are critical to getting you the help you need if you do fall,” she says.
When gardening wear protective clothing. Use eye goggles to protect your eyes from flying snippets of branches when you’re pruning shrubbery, Wilson says.
Give your full attention when you’re driving. Close to 90 percent of car crashes are related to driver distraction, according to the National Safety Council. For teens cell phones and text messaging create driving risks.
Summer vacation time also signals dangers for children.
“We often see an increase in leisure-related accidents. Children are out of school and involved in physical activities,” says Sharon Williams Ph.D., director of outpatient services and child psychiatry at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford (University), Palo Alto, Calif.
“Head injuries are a primary concern, especially when children are riding bikes or playing baseball. Parents need to be particularly vigilant about their children wearing head gear and knee gear [for skateboarding],” Williams says.
Drowning deaths peak during July, says Elizabeth Wilson.
The danger comes when adults don’t give children their full attention when they’re in the water.
“Pools need to have a designated adult to watch children, even if the children know how to swim. If children survive [a near drowning] they can be deprived of oxygen, which leads to brain damage,” Williams says.
The National Safety Council recommends children as young as age 3 enroll in swim classes.
