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.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.”

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:

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 1^st Tuesday of the month 2pm – 6pm and the 3^rd 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.

The Level One Trauma Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) and Safe Kids Middlesex County held its 6th Annual Recognition Luncheon on December 15th in the Arline and Henry Schwartzman Courtyard. The well-attended event was led by Tim Murphy, Director of the Department of Trauma and Injury Prevention, and Diana Starace, Coordinator, Injury Prevention and Safe Kids Middlesex County. The event highlighted 2009’s outreach achievements and culminated with the presentation of outstanding service awards. Carol Ann Giardelli (center) accepts the Outstanding Prevention Advocate Award.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, ski helmets could prevent or reduce the effects of 50 percent of head injuries suffered by children under 15 while skiing or snowboarding. Kids should always wear helmets when they ski, sled, snowboard, or play ice hockey but parents should know that there are different helmets for different activities. Make sure your child’s helmet meets federal safety standards, and have an expert check that the helmet fits correctly so it won’t come loose at a critical moment.

Along with wearing a helmet while skiing or snowboarding, parents should know these ten useful tips to keep their children safe when doing outdoor activities this winter:

Sledding

• Kids can suffer serious head injuries from sledding, and should always wear a helmet. When sledding, do not go down a hill head-first. Sit up, face forward, use a clear, safe path and make sure an adult is supervising.
• A good sledding hill does not lead to a street, a body of water or a crowded gathering place. In addition, remember to inspect sleds regularly for worn, damaged or loose parts that could break or snag at high speed.

Snowmobiles

• Children under 6 should not be riding a snowmobile and no one under 16 should drive one. All snowmobile drivers and passengers should be wearing helmets designed for high-speed motor sports – a bike helmet isn’t sufficient for a four-wheeled motorcycle that can go up to 90 miles per hour.

Ice Skating and Hockey

• There is no consensus among experts about the need for helmets while ice skating, but parents should consider them for kids who are just beginning to learn to skate.
• Helmets are a must for ice hockey, along with mouth guards, knee pads and elbow, shoulder and shin protection.
• Teach kids how to protect themselves if they do fall through ice. Remind them to stretch their arms out wide and kick as if swimming, shout for help, and try to crawl backward onto solid ice.

General

• Always wear sport-specific, properly fitting safety gear when participating in winter sports activities. Since proper equipment fit and maintenance are important for safety, bring your child along when shopping for skates, helmets, boots, etc.

• Dress in layers and wear warm, close-fitting clothes. Make sure that long scarves are tucked in so they don’t get entangled in lifts, ski poles or other equipment.
• Stay hydrated and wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
• If children become distracted, irritable, or begins to hyperventilate, they may be suffering from hypothermia or altitude sickness, or are too tired to participate safely in winter sports. They should go indoors, rest and warm up.

Remember, your children learn safety habits by watching you, so parents should always wear the right helmet for their winter activities too.

 For more information about safety in and around cars, visit Safe Kids USA 

With the new federal toy safety standards, passed by Congress and in place this year, parents can be reassured that the vast majority of toys on store shelves are safe. Despite the increase in safety however, Safe Kids New Jersey urges parents to remain cautious.

Right now parents and caregivers are in the middle of the country’s busiest toy-buying season (approximately 50 percent of all toy purchases in the United States occur between the Friday after Thanksgiving and Christmas) and the new safety standards allow them to shop with more confidence than ever.  However, it doesn’t mean we should throw caution to the wind. Shoppers should still make sure they are buying age appropriate toys and following important toy safety guidelines. The Consumer Product Safety Commission should continue to monitor the marketplace to ensure that toys comply with these standards.

Top five tips for making sure children’s toys are safe during this holiday season: 

• Before shopping for toys, consider the child’s age, interest and skill level. A fun, but inappropriate toy for a particular child can be dangerous.
• Make sure toys intended for older children are stored separately from those for younger children.
• Keep toys with small parts away from children under age 3. They can choke on small toys and toy parts.
• Check regularly for damage that could create small pieces that are choking hazards. Make any necessary repairs immediately, or discard damaged toys out of the reach of children.
• Actively supervise children when they are playing with riding toys as well as any toy that has small balls and small parts, magnets, electrical or battery power, cords and strings, wheels or any other potential hazard. Simply being in the same room as your child is not necessarily supervising. Active supervision means keeping the child in sight and in reach while paying undivided attention.

To stay informed about harmful products in the marketplace, parents can go to http://www.recalls.gov/ and sign up for email alerts on recalled children’s products. It’s too difficult to get your information piecemeal from TV or the newspaper, so if you get the emails sent to you each time a recall happens, you’ll know right away which products to avoid. 

Safe Kids New Jersey reminds parents that most toys are safe, especially if you buy from a reputable retailer.  That doesn’t mean you have to go to a ‘big box’ store.  But if you shop at a locally-owned toy store, make sure that the owner is aware and vigilant about getting recalled items off the shelves. 

If secondhand toys are purchased, or received from friends or relatives, Safe Kids New Jersey advises parents to visit http://www.cpsc.gov/ and make sure the toy hasn’t been recalled for safety reasons. Used toys should also be in good condition with all original parts and packaging, if possible. If a new toy comes with a product registration card, mail it in right away so the manufacturer can contact you if the item is ever recalled. 

For more information about toy safety visit http://www.usa.safekids.org/ and http://www.cpsc.gov/.

In addition to food, family, and gifts, decorations are one of the highlights of the holiday season. While candles, Christmas trees, and other decorations are part of the holiday spirit, they can pose fire and poisoning hazards, especially to curious children. Once all of your decorations are up, keeping a close eye on both children and the decorations themselves is an important step to a safe holiday season.

Never, never leave lit candles unattended. In 2005, candles started 15,600 home fires in the United States, and the top four days for candle fires are around Christmas and New Year’s, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Do not put candles on a tree or a natural wreath, or near curtains or drapes, and keep matches and lighters locked out of children’s reach. Using battery-operated flameless candles is an alternative that does not pose a fire risk. If you would like decorative lighting, make sure it is labeled with the seal of an independent testing lab, and only use it outdoors if it’s labeled for outdoor use.

If you decorate a tree, avoid these top decorating mistakes:

• Decorate with children in mind. Do not put ornaments that have small parts or metal hooks, or look like food or candy, on the lower branches where small children can reach them. Trim protruding branches at or below a child’s eye level, and keep lights out of reach.
• Natural Christmas trees always involve some risk of fire. To minimize the risk, get a fresh tree and keep it watered at all times. Do not put the tree within three feet of a fireplace, space heater, radiator or heat vent.
• Never leave a lit Christmas tree or other decorative lighting display unattended. Inspect lights for exposed or frayed wires, loose connections and broken sockets.
• Do not overload extension cords or outlets and do not run an electrical cord under a rug.
• Do not burn Christmas tree branches, treated wood or wrapping paper in a home fireplace.

Top tips to prevent poisoning this holiday season:

• Keep alcohol, including baking extracts, out of reach and do not leave alcoholic drinks unattended.
• Color additives used in fireplace fires are a toxic product and should be stored out of reach. Artificial snow can be harmful if inhaled, so use it in a well-vented space.
• Mistletoe berries, Holly Berry and Jerusalem Cherry can be poisonous. If they are used in decorating, make sure children and pets cannot reach it.
• In a poison emergency, call the national Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222.

For more information about holiday safety visit the fire and poisoning prevention pages at http://www.usa.safekids.org/.

It’s important to keep cabinets closed and locked, and to store hazardous substances out of reach, but that’s not enough. The most important safety precaution in the kitchen is constant, close and attentive supervision. Simply being in the same room as a child is not necessarily supervising. An actively supervised child is in sight and in reach at all times.

Burns — from spills, steam, hot surfaces and flame — can be especially devastating injuries.  Because young children have thinner skin than adults, they burn more severely and at lower temperatures.

Scald burns from hot liquid or steam are the most common type of burns among children ages 4 and under. A child will suffer a full-thickness burn (third-degree burn) after just three seconds of exposure to 140-degree water, and will need surgery and skin grafts.

Safe Kids recommends these precautions against kitchen burns:

• Never leave a hot stove unattended. (Unattended food on the stove is the number one cause of home fires.)
• Never hold a child while cooking or carrying hot items.
• Cook on back burners whenever possible, and turn all handles toward the back of the stove. 
• Don’t allow loose-fitting clothing in the kitchen.
• Keep hot foods and liquids away from the edges of counters and tables. Be especially careful around tablecloths — children can pull hot dishes down onto themselves.
• Tie up electrical cords of small appliances. A toddler playing with a dangling cord can pull a toaster or microwave down from a countertop.

In addition to hot surfaces, hot liquids and sharp objects, the other major hazard in the kitchen is poison. Store potentially hazardous goods, such as cleaning products and alcohol, in locked cabinets out of reach. Also, install a carbon monoxide detector to alert everyone to get out of the house in the event of a buildup of the odorless toxic gas given off by fuel-burning appliances.

Children who can follow directions may be ready to help out in the kitchen with tasks that do not involve knives, appliances or heat. You know your own children. Don’t give them knives or let them handle anything hot until they have shown the maturity and coordination to do it safely.  Some children mature faster than others, so it’s up to parents to use good judgment about each child’s capabilities.