Injuries are a leading cause of disability for people of all ages — and they are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 44. The good news is everyone can get involved to stay safe and help prevent injuries. During National Safety Month, we encourage you to learn more about important safety issues. You can make a difference.
- First aid and emergency preparedness – At work, we develop plans of what to do in a medical or weather emergency to ensure everyone understands their role and appropriate action is taken. We even take time to practice these procedures throughout the year. But, what about at home? Is your family ready if a medical or weather emergency occurs? Check out http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies for preparation tips for a variety of emergency situations that may impact your family’s lives.
- Transportation safety – Doing other activities while driving — like texting or eating — distracts you and increases your chance of crashing. Almost 1 in 5 crashes (17%) that injured someone involved distracted driving. Distracted driving is also the third biggest cause of driving fatalities after alcohol and speeding. Go to www.distraction.gov, a webpage dedicated to spreading the word about distracted driving and providing resources for a number of audiences, such as teens, parents, educators, and employers. Have young drivers at home? Encourage them to check out the teen section for statistics, PSAs, and “Faces of Distracted Driving” videos made by other teens sharing their experience as a distracted driver and the resulting consequences.
- Slips, trips, and falls – One in 3 older adults falls each year leading to broken bones and other health problems. There are steps that can be taken to lower your risk of falling and being injured including 1) getting and staying active 2) improving your balance and 3) making your legs stronger. For a general workout guide for older adults, exercises aimed at improving your balance, and a leg strengthening plan, go to http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/everyday-healthy-living/safety/lower-your-risk-of-falling#take-action_1.