Safe Travels: Avoiding Injuries

Aired on Lifetime Television
May 11 and June 22
Show 512

Biking, walking, riding in the car… there are many ways for you and your children to get around – and many ways for an accident to happen. The good news is you can reduce injuries and fatalities by taking some extra precautions when traveling to and fro. Whether it's a quick trip to the grocery store, or a longer ride to grandma's house, always properly restrain children in the car. Kids under 13 should ride in the back seat, until an adult lap belt and shoulder strap fits them correctly. Younger children should also have a booster seat proper for their weight and height. Proper restraint helps reduce injury in an accident and keeps little hands from playing with power windows and doors. Once everyone is buckled in, take a brief walk around the outside to the car, checking for children, toys or pets in the area. Children are admitted to emergency rooms every year after being struck by vehicles while playing in driveways and parking areas – your children should know these are not areas for play. Always walk with your children until age 10, and teach your kids how to stay safe while walking. Look left, right and then left again before crossing streets in crosswalks, at corners or while obeying traffic signals. Reflectors are a must for your children if they're out after dark. If your kids have picked their bike as their mode of transportation, make sure they're riding one that's appropriate for their height and weight. Proper fit of a helmet is just as important as wearing one. Safe Kids Worldwide recommends the eyes, ears and mouth test: the rim of the helmet should be one to two finger widths above the eyebrows; the strap should form a "V" just below the earlobe, the buckle should be flat against the skin and the strap should feel snug against the chin so that when the child's mouth is opened wide, the helmet pulls down a little bit. When you make safety your number one concern, getting around by any means is a breeze!