The ProblemUnintentional injuries are the number one killer of childrenunder the age of 14 in the United States. Each year one infour children is hurt seriously enough to require medicalattention. These injuries can be prevented if families takethe simple steps necessary to protect their children.

As a parent, what can I do?Parents have the greatest responsibility for safety education. Whether you notice or not, your child is always imitating your behavior. Be a safety role model. Also, be sure to keep your eye on your children during their everyday activities; there is no substitute for parental supervision.

Be a pedestrian role model. (Pedestrians account for one-fourth of traffic fatalities for children under age 16)

• Cross at corners and crosswalks.

• Teach your child to stop and look “left-right-left”before crossing.

• Walk on the sidewalk if there is one.

• Obey all traffic signs and signals.

Be a careful driver. (Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause ofdeath for children age 5-15):• Take speed limits seriously, especially in school

zones and residential areas.

• Always drop off and pick up children on theright side of the street. (Otherwise children maydart out in front of traffic.)

• Always buckle up! Statistics show that whenyou buckle up, children will also buckle and staythat way 90% of the time.

• Obeying the rules of the road, driving attentively,and using a car seat are the safest things you cando for your child while in a vehicle.

Teach your child to bike smart. (More than one-third of bicyclists killed arebetween the ages of 5 and 15, and most deaths are due to head injuries.)• Set a good example by wearing your helmet

when you ride, and teach your children that helmets must be worn at all times.

THESENTINELFALL

2002U t a h

SAFE KIDS

C o a l i t i o n

S a f e K i d s A r e N o A c c i d e n t !

M a k i n g U t a h a S a f e r P l a c e f o r K i d s

inside ...Fitting Station . . . . . 2

Danger of Strangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Latch on to This . . .3

Hunt for Guns . . . . 4

Safe at Home . . . . .4

PRETTY POISONSAll That Glitters is Not GoodWhat child can resist the allure ofa festive holiday tree, or a candleflickering on a tabletop? The hol-idays bring out the best in ourdecorating instincts, but can be adangerous time for kids who arenatural explorers. As you pre-pare to deck your halls, keepthese precautions in mind:

Toxic Tinsel Mistletoe and holly berries canbe poisonous if swallowed.

Old tinsel may contain lead.Dispose of it safely if you don'tknow exactly what it's made of.

Lamp oils are colorful andattractive to children - butextremely hazardous. Keepholiday lamps out of reach.

Food, Drink & PartiesImproper handling, prepara-tion, cooking or storage offood can result in food poison-ing. Keep hot foods hot andcold foods cold!

Clean up immediately afterparties. Leftover alcohol andcigarettes are tempting buttoxic to children and pets.

Holiday VisitorsHolidays are for visiting anddaily routines are often dis-rupted. Parents need to beeven more cautious to preventpoisonings.

Remind visitors to keep pills in a secure location, awayfrom children.

continued on page 4continued on page 2

TEACH YOUR CHILD SAFETY

2

ARE YOUR CAR SEATS SAFE?Just Ask the Experts at Primary Children'sPrimary Children's MedicalCenter and the Utah SAFEKIDS Coalition are proud to welcome their new ChildSafety Seat Inspection Stationnow open at the Salt LakeCity-based hospital. The sta-tion gives parents and care-givers a free and convenientway to find out whether theircar seats are installed andworking properly.

This is great news in light of anew study that shows morethan 85% of all childrestraints are used incorrectly.Even seemingly small mis-takes can lead to deadly con-sequences, as motor vehiclecrashes remain the leadingkiller of kids ages 1 to 14.Each year, more than 1,700children are killed and another264,000 are injured as occupants of motor vehicles.

The study by the National SAFE KIDS Campaign analyzed the incorrect usepatterns of 469 Utah child safety seats and vehicle safety belts that were seenat several SAFE KIDS car seat check events from February 2001-March 2002. To prevent three very common mistakes:

1. Secure safety seats tightly with less than one inch movement.*

2. Check instructions to see if a locking clip is needed for proper installation.*

3. Place retainer clip at armpit level.*

The inspection station officially opened Sept. 26 and is available by appoint-ment only. It is staffed by English and Spanish-speaking trained technicianswho will teach you all the ins and outs of car seat safety. The station is one of 30 new child safety seat facilities opening nationwide.

Recently, a family visited Primary Children's for help with their car seats. Justweeks later, the family was involved in a serious motor vehicle crash. The carwas destroyed, but the children were all safe. While this illustrates the effortsparents are making to protect their children, it also demonstrates the impor-tance of having resources available to teach parents about restraint safety.

Primary Children's and the Utah SAFE KIDS Coalition hope parents will takeadvantage of the new inspection service. The station is open to the public byappointment only. Please call the (801) 588-CARS hotline for more details or to locate car seat help in your community.

Remember, using a child safety seat can reduce injury and death by 50%, andusing a PROPERLY INSTALLED seat can reduce injury and death by 71%.

* For more help understanding safety guidelines for buckling up your children,please visit the National SAFE KIDS Campaign Web site at www.safekids.org.

• Show your children the proper way towear a helmet. It should rest low onthe forehead just above the eyebrowsand fit snugly.

• Obey all traffic signs and signalswhile bicycling.

• Always ride alone on a bicycle, nevercarry passengers.

• Riding a bicycle at night is dangerous.Make sure to have both front andback lights if you must bike at night.

Teach your child simple safety today andgive yourself peace of mind tomorrow.

— Information provided by Salt Lake Valley Health Department.

Aproud

member of the

Box 142106, SLC, UT 84114 (801) 538-6852

Honorary ChairJacalyn S. Leavitt

SpokespersonRoma Downey

Lead OrganizationViolence and Injury Prevention Program

Member OrganizationsUtah Department of Health

Primary Children’s Medical CenterRegence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah

State Farm InsuranceStar 102.7

Free & Accepted Masons of UtahUtah State Office of Education

Utah Safety CouncilUtah Department of Public Safety

AAA UtahUtah Poison Control Center

Utah PTAAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, Utah Chapter

Larry H. Miller ChevroletChevron

KSTU Fox 13Traumatic Brain Injury Association of Utah

Utah

Coalition©

TEACH YOUR CHILDSAFETY (continued from page 1)

SAFE KIDS volunteer Krystal Ehlersinspects a car seat

for proper installation.

The Utah SAFE KIDS Coalition thanksRegence BlueCross BlueShield of

Utah, the Utah Highway SafetyOffice, Primary Children’s Medical

Center and Emergency MedicalServices for Children for their gener-ous contributions which allowed us to

produce this newsletter.

3

continued on page 4

With the recent child abductions in Utah and across the country,frightened parents are asking themselves what they can do tokeep their own children safe.

Children too are watching the news - many are now afraid tostep out of their homes alone for fear of being kidnapped. Amidall this, it's important to remember abductions are still very rare,and the majority of children will make it to adulthood safely.

One of the challenges of parenting is teaching children to becautious without stirring up too much fear. It's important to create a nurturing environment where your children feel safe and cared for. Although dangers exist, you can reduce thechance a child will be taken. First, give children the basics onavoiding and escaping potentially dangerous situations.

Teach Them to:• Never accept candy or gifts

from a stranger.

• Never go anywhere with astranger, even if it sounds like fun. Attackers often lurechildren with questions like,“Can you help me find my lost puppy?” or “Do you want to see some cute kittensin my car?”

• Run away and scream if some-one follows them or tries toforce them into a car.

• Always ask permission from a parent to leave the house,yard, play area, or to go into someone's home.

• If someone they don't know talks to them, run home or to the nearest friend's home.

Because the first few hours are the most critical in abductioncases, it's important to have information about your child immediately available. This includes height, weight, eye color, hair color and a current picture. Parents can keep these

other tips in mind also:

Have ID-like photostaken of your childrenevery six months.

Have your children fingerprinted. Manylocal police depart-ments sponsor finger-printing programs.

Keep your children'smedical and dental records current.

Make sure youngerchildren know theirname, address, phone number and whom to contact in case of an emergency. Discuss with them what to do if they getlost in a public place or store. Remind your children thatthey should never go to parking lots to look for you.

Show your children the homes of friends in the neighborhoodwhere they can go in case of trouble.

Never leave children alone in a car or stroller, even for a minute.

Develop code words for caregivers other than mom or dad, and remind them never to tell anyone the code word.Teach them never to go with anyone who doesn't know the code word.

If your children are old enough to stay home alone, makesure the doors and windows are locked and to never tell any-one they are home alone.

Most often families will never have to face the terror of abduc-tion - but as with all safety precautions, an ounce of preventionis worth more than a pound of cure.

— Information provided from www.primarychildrens.com.(Kids Health)

PREPARING FOR THE WORSTTeach Your Kids the Danger of Strangers

“LATCH” ON TO THIS …New Government LATCH Rules Make Car Seats Safer

If you've ever been frustrated when installing or transferringa child safety seat - this article is for you.

In an effort to reduce vehicle-related child injuries and deaths that result from incorrectly installed safety seats,the U.S. and Canadian governments have adopted a new restraint system. It's called LATCH and it requires U.S.-made vehicles and child safety seats to be equipped

with a universal anchor system that makes installation anduse much easier. LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren) is a standardized method of installing a childrestraint without using a seat belt.

The law affects all vehicles and child safety seats manufac-tured after Sept. 1, 2002. And while both will be manufac-tured with the new system, the new seats will still work inyour old vehicle. The LATCH system consists of:

• One tether anchor for a top tether of a forward-facingchild restraint. You will find these in the rear windowdeck area or on the vehicle seatbacks. To find the loca-tions, check your vehicle owner's manual.

• Two lower seat anchors at the seat “bight” - the areawhere the top and bottom of the seat come together.

LATCH ON TO THIS(continued from page 3)

If your home is like half of those in theUnited States, there is a firearm somewhereinside. While firearm incidents havedecreased significantly over the last 20years, national statistics show that guns stillkill a child every 90 minutes.

With hunting season upon us, now is a goodtime to evaluate the safety of the firearms inyour home. If you own a gun, your mostimportant responsibility as a parent or care-giver is making certain children cannot findit. The precautions you take can be effectivein saving a life. If you don't take precau-tions, you could face civil and/or criminalconsequences if someone gets hurt with yourgun on your property. Below are some sug-gestions you can - and must - take to preventfirearm injuries:

• Make sure all weapons are unloaded andsafely stored, with the ammunition securedin a separate location. A locked firearm caseor safe is best when a gun is not being used.

• Use a gunlock while storing your firearm.Many of us already have smoke detectors,carbon monoxide detectors and burglaralarms. Gunlocks are just another devicethat can make your home safer. Cable-

style locks are inexpensive and easy to useand can be purchased for around $10.

• Always re-check your firearms carefullyand completely to be sure they're stillunloaded when you remove them from stor-age. Unintentional injuries have occurredwhen a family member or friend has bor-rowed or loaned a firearm and returned itto storage with ammunition still inside.

• Always clean and place your firearms intheir proper storage location immediatelyafter returning from a day on the range or ahunting trip.

It is also important to talk with your children about the importance of firearmsafety. Be sure to address and encouragethe following:

• Don't go looking for firearms in a friend'sor relative's home. Don't let other kidslook for firearms in your house.

• If you find a firearm in your house or any-where else, leave it alone. Don't touch it!Don't let anyone else touch it! Report it toan adult immediately.

• Even if a firearm looks like a toy, don't touchit. Some real firearms look like toys. Don'ttake a chance. Once again, tell an adult.

4

Coughs and Colds:The onset of winter brings the cold and flu season, andthat means there may be more medicines in your home than at other times of the year. Remember:

1. Keep all medicines in alocked cupboard, out ofreach of children.

2. There is no such thing aschildproof! Child-resistantlids can delay access tomedicines, but children canoften open the lids.

3. Always keep medicine inits original container. Don'ttransfer to a food containeror plastic bag.

For more information, call thespecialists at Utah Poison ControlCenter toll-free at 1 (800) 222-1222 or visit their new Web siteat www.uuhsc.utah.edu/poison.

PRETTY POISONS (continued from page 1)

HUNT FOR YOUR GUNSThen Lock Them Away

You will see two smalldots sewn onto the seat toshow the anchor locations.

• The child restraint afterSeptember 1, 2002 willhave a top tether strap andtwo flexible attachmentsmade of webbing or arigid framework to slipinto the seat bight.

This system is designed tomake it easier for parents toboth install seats and to tight-en them down, as loose seatsare very dangerous in a crash.

Whether your car or car seatis new or old, always remem-ber to read the instructionbooklet that comes with thechild restraint and your vehi-cle owner's manual.Together, these importantdocuments will help keepyour child alive in a crash.

SAFE AT HOME A Household Safety ChecklistWhile you're locking up your guns and poisons, there are plenty of other potentialhazards in your home, so take a few minutes to check for the following:

✔Are knives, forks, scissors and other sharptools in a drawer with a safety latch?

✔Are glass objects and appliances with sharpblades stored out of children's reach?

✔Is the garbage behind a cabinet door with asafety latch?

✔Are all appliances unplugged when not inuse, with cords far from reach?

✔Are all cleaning supplies - even dishwash-ing liquid - in a cabinet with a safety latch?

✔Are all plastic garbage bags and sandwich-style baggies far from reach?

✔Are all bottles of alcohol in a high cabinetfar from reach?

✔Are long telephone cords far from thefloor?

✔Is the thermostat on the hot water heater set to 120 degrees F or lower?

✔Are there rubber pads under loose rugs tohold them securely to the floor?

✔Is the crib free from soft pillows, largestuffed animals, and soft bedding?

✔Are window blind cords tied up with clothespins or specially designed cord clips?

✔Are all unused outlets covered with safety caps?

✔Are televisions and stereo equipment positioned against walls?

✔Are dressers secured to walls so they can-not be pulled down on top of a child?

✔Are there safety bars installed on upper-story windows?

✔Are there hardware-mounted safety gates atthe top and bottom of every stairway?

✔Are stairways clear of tripping hazards?

✔Are all hazardous automotive and garden-ing products in a securely locked area?

✔Does your family have an escape plan incase of a fire?

Overwhelming as it may seem, goingthrough the above checklist is a critical firststep in keeping your kids “safe at home.”