Tag Archives: car

SAFETY RULES EVERY PARENT SHOULD FOLLOW (GUEST POST)

Many parents believe they are doing all they can to keep their kids safe, but with safety recommendations and standards always changing, it can be hard to keep up with what’s safe and what’s not.  Here we’ve gathered 100 of the most important safety rules parents should follow to keep their kids safe and out of danger’s path.

In the House

While there’s no replacement for supervision, there are things you can do to decrease the number of risks that contribute to accidents and injuries in your home. Follow these rules to increase your child’s safety while at home.

    Signup for recall alerts. Stay up-to-date on child-related product recalls by subscribing to the Consumer Product Safety Commission recall alerts

    Turn the water temperature down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot water can scald children. By turning the water temperature thermostat down you can prevent scalds and burns

    Store medications properly. Store medications out of reach and sight to prevent accidental ingestions

    Use the right safety gates. While pressure mounted gates may work fine to keep kids confined to a room, they have no place at the top of stairs

    Safety proof windows. Children needlessly fall out of windows each year. Be sure to add window guards or locks to your windows to be sure your child isn’t one of them

    Choose appropriate toys. Choose age-appropriate toys to reduce the risk of injury to your child.

    Opt for a pet that is good with kids. When considering a family pet, you’ll want to be sure to select a pet whose temperament makes it kid-friendly.

    Clean toys without harsh chemicals. Clean children’s toys naturally to prevent the spread of germs and decrease risks associated with toxic cleaners.

    Store cleaners away from kids. Store toxic chemicals and cleaners out of the reach and sight of children to prevent accidental poisoning and chemical burns

    Be sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are functioning properly. The proper placement of working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors can alert family members of a fire and prevent children from experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning

ANOTHER WAKE-UP CALL FOR DUI OFFENDERS

Recently, a Tarrant County, Texas, jury sentenced a 31 year-old woman to 16 years in prison for being drunk when she caused a collision January 11, 2009, that killed a 20 year-old young man, riding in a small car that was broadsided as she ran a red light, driving at a speed of 70 m.p.h.  In addition, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for intoxication assault because the driver of the car was permanently maimed.  The driver, who was 21 at the time of the accident, spent 85 days in a Fort Worth hospital and now uses a wheelchair.  He has difficulty speaking; his life has been altered because of the recklessness of someone who had spent the evening drinking at two nightclubs and had a blood alcohol content that was more than twice the legal limit.

The driver of the SUV had no criminal history, but the jury handed down the stiff sentence.  After passing sentence, the District Judge ruled she could serve her two prison terms concurrently.  She must serve at least eight years before she will be eligible for parole.  The prosecutor noted that “if it makes someone think twice about drinking and driving”, that’s fabulous.  (Just seeing the video of this horrible wreck, filmed by the red-light camera, was enough to make you get into the habit of slowing down when you come to an intersection.  It was like watching a race car speed down the street, hitting the victims’ car so hard it just disappeared.)

After the verdict, several family members addressed the woman in the courtroom.  The young man who drove the small car had prepared a montage of pictures shown on a video screen.  It showed him as a young boy, then a strapping young man who joked with friends and family, swam, and played sports.  “Then I met you,” the text on the video said.  Next, were photographs of his mangled car, and breathing tubes he used as he fought for life in an intensive care unit.  The final text said “Don’t forget me,” “because I sure won’t forget you.”

If you go out with friends and have a few drinks, use your head and give the keys to someone else.  We have to be responsible for each other.  Take the keys away when you see someone taking a chance getting behind the wheel!  It may make them angry, but you may keep them from endangering their life, and hurting or killing others.  Lives can be forever changed for the victims of a driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The woman who was speeding through a busy intersection will have to live with the guilt associated with her careless act.  Sometimes even nice people make mistakes, and that one will stay with her forever.

Source:
Fort Worth Star-Telegram