For more than a year now, I have been talking about safety: at home, work, and play. I have researched all types of accidents and how they might have been avoided. By writing about safety-related issues, I have prided myself on the things I have learned through research. Preached to my family, from swine flu to staying hydrated while playing sports- my expertise has been offered to anyone who would listen, whether they wanted to or not.
A bad thing happened this week: a friend of mine fell from her back porch, breaking her arm in two places, as well as receiving a black eye and bruised ego. And what was the first thing I did when I saw her in the E.R? Aside from telling her how sorry I was that this terrible accident happened to her, I advised her to carry her cell phone in her pocket from now on, so she could call for help. (Unable to get up after the fall, she was on the ground for more than an hour before her husband came home and called for an ambulance.)
Later, I began to think: my cell phone is not always in my pocket. When I am running a short errand, my seat belt sometimes is not buckled up, even though it is the law. I’m still tempted to talk on the cell phone while driving down the road, but I have realized that it is not the safest thing to do, so I have cut down on those calls. It’s very tempting to drive through a yellow traffic light, just as it’s changing. And how many of us haven’t run a stop/yield sign at one time or another? An added note: (the chief of police in our little town ran a yield sign just yesterday, and almost hit my son’s truck.)
If we all took the time to consider the little chances we take on a daily basis that could result in mishaps, we probably could figure out ways to ensure an accident won’t happen. Example: my friend will need a rail to hold on to when she enters or leaves her house. And I bet that rail will be put up when she comes home from the hospital. She has had a number of surgeries, and if a rail had been there, maybe that fall could have been prevented.
Sometimes in life, we all need a rail or someone to hold on to. Think about ways that would make your life safer. We all need to practice what we preach. I promise I will from now on!