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Safety
(Page 2)
- Wear a bike helmet.
- Make sure bikes are the right size. A child should be able to straddle a bike with both feet on the ground.
- Young children should use bikes with coaster brakes -- the kind that brake when you pedal backwards. With hand brakes, a child's hands should be large enough and strong enough to use the levers.
- Avoid riding at night if at all possible. Make sure your bike has reflectors.
- Stop at stop signs, check for traffic before turning, and never ride out into a street without stopping first.
- Ride on the same side of the road as the cars.
- Be predictable and ride defensively. Ride where drivers of cars can see you. Bicycles are frequently hit by cars because the driver did not even know the bike was there. Many accidents have been avoided because the biker was watching out for cars.
- Wear brightly colored clothing so that motorists can easily see you.
- The space between crib bars should be no more than 2.5 inches.
- The distance from the mattress to the top of the rail should be over 2 feet.
- DO NOT put extra blankets and stuffed animals in a crib with a baby.
- DO NOT place a baby on the stomach to sleep.
- Always keep one hand on an infant who is lying on a changing table.
- Place gates at the top and bottom of each stairway.
- Cover unused electrical sockets.
- Keep cleaning fluids, bug poisons, and other chemicals well out of a child's reach. Avoid storing toxic substances in unmarked or inappropriate containers (such as food containers). If you suspect poisoning or have questions, call 1-800-222-1222.
- Buy medicines with child-resistant caps. Place all medications out of the reach of children.
- Put safety latches on cabinets that a child should not open.
- Keep knives and matches out of reach.
- Keep plastic bags away from children.
- Keep children away from hot drinks and stove tops.
- When cooking on the stove, make sure that pot and pan handles are turned to the middle of the stove. Handles that hang over the edge of the stove may be reached by a curious toddler.
- Keep toys with small parts out of the reach of infants and toddlers. This includes stuffed animals with buttons.
- Avoid putting dangerous items in a waste basket where a young child might find them.
- Keep toilet lids down.
- Never leave infants and children unattended in a bathtub.
- Check water temperature in a bath before placing a child in it.
- Set the hot water heater thermostat to no more than 130°F.
- When heating a baby bottle, always test the milk temperature to prevent burning your baby's mouth.
- Inspect playground equipment for signs of deterioration, weakness, and damage.
- Teach children what to do if strangers approach them. Teach them at an early age that no one should touch private areas of the body.
- Make sure children know their address as early as possible. Teach them to call 911 when in trouble.
- Teach children to watch for cars on streets. They must stop, look both ways and listen for approaching traffic. Children must also be very aware of cars on driveways and in parking lots. Cars backing up cannot see small children.
- Supervise young children at all times.
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