Back-to-School Safety Checklist
Why Wear a Helmet?
A helmet can’t protect you if it’s hanging in your garage – it has to be on your head. And, it has to fit correctly to protect your skull – and what’s inside – form injury.
Check your helmet for proper fit by grabbing it with both hands and twisting it side-to-side and front-to-back; the skin on your forehead should move slightly with the movement of the helmet.
Make sure:
- The chinstrap feels snug under your chin when you open your mouth.
- The straps are adjusted to meet just below your ears.
- The front of the helmet covers your forehead.
- The helmet sits level on your head.
- The helmet is snug, but not tight. Use extra pads (usually provided with the helmet) to fin-tune strap.
- That, you are not able to pull the helmet off without unbuckling the stap.
You should also make sure your helmet has a label or sticker that says it meets the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) safety standard.
As of March 1999, all bicycle helmets manufactured in or imported to the United States must meet the CPSC uniform mandatory safety standard, which ensures the helmet will provide a high degree of head protection.
August 2004 — Your kids are going back to school. They have new clothes and school supplies. You've reminded them about rules for doing homework. Now all you have to do is talk to them about safety.
Here are some facts to keep in mind and precautions to take so your child will have the safest school year possible.
Drawstrings
Drawstrings, jewelry and scarves can get caught in car doors and playground equipment. Remove drawstrings from hoods and shirts. Teach your child to remove jewelry before playing and to tuck scarves inside jackets or shirts.
Falls
Falls are the leading cause of injury for children 14 and younger, resulting in more than 3 million visits to hospital emergency rooms each year. Teach children to walk — not run — up and down stairs. Explain to them that pushing and playing roughly can cause other children to fall and get hurt.
Playgrounds
Each year in the United States, more than 200,000 children are injured in playground accidents. Check your child's play areas at school and in your neighborhood. The ground should be covered with approved rubber or fiber mats or with 12 inches of wood chips, mulch, sand or other cushioning material. Look for sharp edges that a child might run into or fall on.
Stranger Danger
More than 2,000 children are reported missing every day in the United States. Role-play to teach your child not to accept rides or gifts from a stranger — ever. Make sure your child knows your home and work telephone numbers and always has enough money to call you from a payphone. Teach your child not to walk in isolated or empty areas. A child who feels threatened by a stranger should scream and scatter his or her books and other belongings to make a scene and leave evidence.
Bike Riding
More than 200 children are killed in the United States each year in bicycle accidents, and about 60 percent of the fatalities involve head injuries. Make sure your child knows the rules of the road and always wears a Consumer Product Safety Commission-approved helmet while biking. The helmet should be worn flat atop the head (not tilted back), and the chinstrap should be comfortably secure.
Pedestrian Safety
Approximately 1,000 children are killed and tens of thousands are injured each year in pedestrian-related incidents. Teach safe street-crossing rules. Set an example by always stopping at the street curb, then looking left, right and left again before starting to cross.
Memorial Healthcare System's Safety Town programs teach kids basic safety skills and are held regularly at CB Smith Park, Tree Tops Park and TY Park. Group field trips to Safety Town for 25 or more children are free and available throughout the school year. For more information, please call Community Relations at
(954) 276-5985.