Posted on August 13, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
With summer ending and the start of school just around the corner, drivers need to do their part to keep kids safe as they walk and bike to school. Whether you are taking your kids to school or just driving through a school zone, you can do your part to keep kids safe. August is designated as Back-to-School Safety Month, and we want to remind motorists to be extra careful at all times.
Follow the tips below to make sure you keep your children safe while walking and biking to school.
Top Back to School Safety Tips
Here are some simple reminders for drivers:
- Slow down and be especially alert in the residential neighborhoods and school zones.
- Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
- Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
- Watch for children on and near the road in the morning and after school hours.
- Reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings. Put down your phone and don’t talk or text while driving.
Reminders for your kids:
- They should cross the street with an adult until the age of 10.
- Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
- Never run out into the streets or cross in between parked cars.
- Make sure they always walk in front of the bus where the driver can see them.
Filed under: Safe Kids Safety Tips | Tagged: Distracted Drivers, Pedestrian Safety, School Zones | Leave a Comment »
Posted on July 1, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
Summer memories often include lighting sparklers and watching fireworks during 4th of July celebrations, however, hundreds of children are injured from fireworks each summer.
Fireworks can cause serious burn and eye injuries. In 2009, 3,300 children ages 0-14 were injured from fireworks. Of these injuries, 70% occurred in the weeks surrounding July 4th.
The safest choice to leave is to leave fireworks to be used by professionals.
- Children should never play with or light fireworks or sparklers.
- Adults who use fireworks should not use them around children.
How much do you know about fireworks safety? Take the Safe Kids firework safety quiz: http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-spotlight/fireworks-safety/fireworks-safety-quiz.html
Safe Kids New Jersey wishes all parents and children a safe 4th of July!
Filed under: Safe Kids Safety Tips | Tagged: Fireworks Safety, Holiday Safety | Leave a Comment »
Posted on May 19, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
Every year since 1998, heat stroke or hyperthermia has claimed an average of 37 children when they were left alone in cars. It need not be a very hot day for the car to become too hot for a young child’s body. There is no temperature when it is safe to leave a child alone in a car as their bodies heat up 3-5 times faster than an adult’s. Heat stroke, which can cause permanent brain injury or death, occurs when a child’s core body temperature reaches 107 degrees. Children as old as 13 have been affected.
We urge all parents and caregivers to NEVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD ALONE IN A CAR for any reason or any amount of time. Here are some tips to be sure your child does not get left unknowingly in a vehicle:
- Dial 911 immediately if you see an unattended child in a car. EMS professionals are trained to determine if a child is in trouble.
- Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even with the window slightly open.
- Place a cell phone, PDA, purse, briefcase, gym bag or whatever is to be carried from the car on the floor in front of a child in a backseat. This forces the adult to open the back door and observe the child when they reach for their belongings.
- Set your cell phone or Blackberry reminder to be sure you dropped your child off at day care.
- Set your computer “outlook” program to ask, “Did you drop off at daycare today?”
- Have a plan that if your child is late for daycare that you will be called within a few minutes. Be especially careful if you change your routine for dropping off little kids at day care.
- Teach children not to play in any vehicle.
- Lock all vehicle doors and trunk – especially at home. The car is not a playground.
- Check vehicles and trunks FIRST if a child goes missing.
For more information go to www.safekids.org/nlyca .
Filed under: Safe Kids Safety Tips | Leave a Comment »
Posted on May 7, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
Posted on April 26, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
Spring is officially here, and with the warmer weather comes many opportunities for kids to be active. More than 30 million kids under 14 participate in organized sports, and more than one in 10 ends up in the emergency room after suffering from a sports injury.
Whether your kids are elite athletes or just shooting hoops in the driveway, Safe Kids New Jersey has tips for keeping kids injury-free so they can stay in the game:
FIRST THINGS FIRST: Every child should receive a pre-participation physical evaluation (PPE) every year. These exams help with the prevention and treatment of any underlying conditions the young athlete may have.
| Action: Parents, talk to your child’s doctor and ask them to perform the full Pre-Participation Evaluation. You can download a copy of the exam here. |
BEFORE PRACTICE, PLAY OR COMPETITION: Warming up and stretching before play is essential. This helps athletes avoid injuries such as muscle tears or sprains by stretching and releasing any muscle tension.
| Action: Make sure there is time set aside before every practice and game to warm up. This could mean a light run, jogging in place or anything that brings the athletes’ heart rate up gradually. Instruct the kids on how to stretch muscles and holding for 10-15 seconds. |
HYDRATION: Hydrating well before, during and after practices and games is a must.
| Action: Make sure your athlete drinks about 12 ounces of fluid 30 minutes before activity begins; at least 10 gulps every 20 minutes of play and every 20 minutes during the first hour after the activity to make up for fluid loss. |
GEAR: Wearing the appropriate and properly fitted sports equipment can help avoid minor and serious injuries such as concussions.
| Action: Make sure your athlete has the proper equipment to perform at his or her best—this may include helmets, shin guards, ankle braces, shoes with rubber cleats, and sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher. |
QUALIFIED COACHING: Become properly trained and learn the sport-specific techniques that can prevent injury or illness that can occur.
| Action: Establish safety guidelines that athletes, parents and coaches will follow such as PPE requirements, hydration breaks and ways to prevent or detect concussions and overuse injuries. |
SUPPORTIVE PARENTING: Learn how you can help your child stay injury-free and optimally healthy.
| Action: Make sure the child receives a PPE by their doctor, encourage hydration before and after the game and learning about the signs and symptoms of a concussion are just a few critical action steps you can take. |
Parents, share the Safe Sports Tip Sheet and visit Safe Kids USA to take the Sports Safety Pledge.
Find a Safe Kids New Jersey sports safety event near you.
Filed under: Safe Kids Safety Tips | Tagged: Sports Injury Prevention, Sports Safety | Leave a Comment »
Posted on April 26, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
Sunny skies were welcomed for the Netcong Ready To Roll Bike Rodeo 2010. Nearly 70 students participated and those who needed new helmets and received them were thrilled. Reflective spoke stickers were easily attached to every tire that was not rolling. This year we brought a new station into to the rodeo. . . HOT AIR! At this station kids were able to fill their own tires with air.
Again, Safe Kids brought a life skill to life. Hats off to our partners, Netcong PTA, Morris County DOT, Netcong Police Department and Cycleworks. Keep rolling. . .
Filed under: Safe Kids New Jersey Events | Tagged: helmets, Northern New Jersey Safe Kids | Leave a Comment »
Posted on March 11, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
New Jersey’s seat belt law has been tightened, something safety advocates have long pushed for. Signed on January 18, 2010 and effective immediately, legislation now requires ALL occupants in passenger vehicles including vans, pickup trucks and SUV’s that are required to be equipped with seat belts to buckle up, regardless of their seating position in a vehicle. A secondary offense, the new law allows police to issue summonses to unbuckled back seat occupants, 18 years of age and older, when the vehicle they are riding in is stopped for another violation.
Crash data show that unbelted rear-seat passengers can become high-speed ‘bullets’ during a crash, impacting other passengers with enough force to kill or seriously injure them. Studies show that the use of safety belts by back seat passengers can reduce the chance of death and serious injury up to 75 percent.
In addition, our current pedestrian law has been changed. Drivers are now required to come to a full stop and remain stopped for pedestrians while in a crosswalk or controlled intersection. Previously, drivers were required to yield to pedestrians. Violators must pay a fine of $200.00 which will be imposed by the courts.
Filed under: Safe Kids Buckle Up, Safe Kids Safety Tips, Safe Kids Walk This Way | Tagged: Passenger Safety, Pedestrian Law, Pedestrian Safety, Seat Belt Law | Leave a Comment »
Posted on March 10, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
In recognition of Poison Prevention Week, March 14-20, the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJPIES) is launching “7 Days and 7 Ways to Safety,” a campaign providing simple daily tips that New Jersey residents can follow in order to ensure a safer home or work environment.
As part of the week’s ongoing activities, the Poison Center will post a “tip of the day” on its Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/NJPIES) for improving home safety. Simple steps such as locking up medications or dangerous substances and avoiding the use of containers commonly used for food storage to store nonfood substances will be highlighted. It addition, the campaign will post a daily case study and a photo of products commonly mistaken for each other that cause confusion.
Children under the age of 6 are at greater risk for unintentional poisoning. Common mishaps occur with look-alike products. One example is over-the-counter cold medication tablets being confused with candies such as M&Ms and Skittles. Exposures among young children typically account for 50% of all calls received by the New Jersey Poison Center.
“We recommend that medicines, liquids and cleaning agents never be removed from their original packaging,” notes Alicia Gambino, NJPIES director of public education. Her reasoning is twofold:
- Original packages contain all the ingredient information that allows a poison specialist to better access the protocol needed should someone accidentally come into contact with a toxic agent.
- Look-alike products such as tiki oil and apple juice or Ex-lax and chocolate are less likely to be mistaken when they remain in their original packaging.
“We are using Poison Prevention Week and the entire month of March to highlight our 24/7 accessibility to the public,” states NJPIES’ Dr. Marcus. “There are no silly questions, and trained staff is always available to answer a question, quell a fear, provide advice, or intervene to get emergency services on site and prepped to provide the needed protocol in the fastest response time.” He adds, “When in doubt, don’t hesitate to call 1-800-222-1222.”
Filed under: Safe Kids Safety Tips | Tagged: New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, Poison Prevention, Poison Prevention Week | Leave a Comment »
Posted on March 4, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
Safe Kids Atlantic/Cape May together with Atlanticare Health Services hosted a sports injury prevention clinic, Get Ahead in the Game – Prevent Concussions, for coaches, athletic trainers, parents and children recently to focus on injury risks associated with ice hockey and lacrosse.
Former Philadelphia Flyer Keith Primeau discussed a player’s perspective of safety and importance of using correctly fitted, appropriate helmets to prevent concussions in sports. Primeau retired in 2006 after suffering the most severe concussion in a series of head injuries, ending his 14 year NHL career.
Coaches, athletic trainers, nurses and parents listen intently as Keith Primeau speaks about his experience with multiple concussions, which eventually ended his career with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Given that more than 30 million children nationally participate in sports each year, and over 3.5 million receive medical treatment due to sports injuries, Safe Kids New Jersey believes that youth sports safety is a challenge worth facing. Watch for more to come from Safe Kids in the upcoming months on sports injury prevention.
At the event, David Cane from Cascade (a manufacturer of sports helmets) demonstrated proper helmet fit for lacrosse and ice hockey:
Filed under: Safe Kids Safety Tips | Tagged: Sports Injury Prevention, Sports Safety, Winter Safety, Winter Sports | Leave a Comment »
Posted on February 5, 2010 by SafeKidsNJ
The Chester Car Seat Inspection Station celebrated its 1st Anniversary on Thursday, January 21, 2010. The Child Passenger Inspection Station opened in January 2009 as an expansion to the Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Program of Northern NJ Safe Kids/Safe Communities. The station has become a visible force for CPS in Morris County. On average 15 car seats are inspected by our certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians.
The Car Seat Technicians celebrated the 1st Anniversary of Chester’s Car Seat Inspection Station on Jan. 21, 2010
Our partner, the Chester First Aid Squad has donated the use of its ambulance bays and a storage area for the program. Additional funding has been secured by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety and Morristown Memorial Hospital as well as Safe Kids Buckle Up and individual donations.
Senior CPS Technician Jackie Leach coordinates the efforts of both career and volunteer CPS technicians. “The goal is to see that every child leaves safer than they arrived,” says Leach. The program has been well received by all.”
Pam Fisher, Director of NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety, Jackie Leach, CPSTI and Laurie Cawley share a laugh at the 1 year anniversary of the Chester Car Seat Station.
Hours of operation are the 1st Tuesday of the month 2pm – 6pm and the 3rd Thursday of the month from 7am – 12pm. The Chester First Aid Squad is located at 100 North Road in Chester. For more information call 908- 879-5560.
Filed under: Safe Kids Buckle Up, Safe Kids New Jersey Events | Tagged: Chester Car Seat Inspection Station, Child Safety Seat Inspections, Northern New Jersey Safe Kids | Leave a Comment »
