10 Safety Tips for Teen Drivers

1. Pay for Extra Driver Training If you can afford it, consider investing in additional behind-the-wheel driver education for your teen. As we discussed in our third installment, the state of driver's ed in the United States is absolutely deplorable and shows no sign of improving. There are a lot of reasons for this, not the least of which is the absence of a national standard. Instead, each state makes its rules. Because of this, there is a wide disparity in the quality of driver training from state to state. Make sure you choose an "active" setting (where your child actually gets behind the wheel and drives) versus a classroom setting, since the latter is mainly book learning, while the former teaches your child the real-world driving dynamics of an automobile. There are a number of racing schools and low-cost programs around the country.

2. Have Your Child Drive You Crazy Well, not literally. What we mean here is, once your child receives her learner's permit, have her drive everywhere possible -- to the store, school, the bowling alley, wherever -- with you in the passenger seat, of course. It's crucial that your child gets as much "wheel" time as possible before going off on her own. Remember, nothing gives a better understanding of the dynamics of a motor vehicle than repeated exposure to the actual driving experience.

3. Talk to Your Child as You Drive Continuing the theme above, communicate with your child as you travel together. Turn off the radio and talk to him about safety hazards you encounter along the way. Remember this one point: By the time your teen reaches driving age, you've most likely been driving him around for 15-plus years; you have much to impart. Remember, too, that body language and hand signals can be as effective as spoken directions. For instance, if you see a car nosing out of a driveway, a simple gesture in that direction can alert your teen driver to the potential danger. Also, remind yourself of the safety hazards you notice in your own driving, and communicate these to your child as you travel. Some common themes: watching downhill speed, spotting trouble ahead, braking sooner rather than later. Remind your child that defensive driving is all about anticipation.

4. Don't Rant, Yell, Scream or Shout -- Until You Get Home As much as you may want to, it's best not to overreact while on the road with your teen driver. Wait until you get home. Then you can yell all you want. Seriously, there's a safety reason for this. Studies have shown that an emotionally charged conversation compromises driving performance, reducing attention span and increasing distraction. If your child does something wrong on the road, make a mental note to discuss it when you get home, or, if you find the infraction serious enough, have her pull over and take over the driving for her. Whatever you do, do not yell or rant at your child while she drives. This could be dangerous for both of you.

5. Review Your Driving Session Along these same lines, consider a brief review of the day's driving once you return home. As gently and calmly as possible, discuss potential problems and solutions, dangers you encountered on the road and things to pay attention to in future trips.


Once your child receives his license, the landscape changes a little. However, your job is far from over. Now, you kick into surveillance mode. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open. What you see and hear -- and how you respond to it -- could save your child's life.

1. Meet Your Child's Traveling Companions The social aspects of teen driving cannot not be underestimated. The sudden freedom of mobility acts like an elixir to some teens. Be sure to monitor your child's comings and goings, doing the best you can to keep track of his companions. As we discussed in Part Two, a number of factors influence teen driver safety. Besides the usual culprits of drugs and alcohol, other issues, such as speeding, bravado and failure to wear seatbelts, account for thousands of lost teen lives every year. Equally significantly, a recent study found that a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers was three times as likely to die in a fatal wreck than one driving alone.

2. Remind Your Teen Driver About the Risks Be the most annoying parent you can be. Remind your child frequently of the inherent dangers of operating a motor vehicle with anything less than 100 percent concentration. Insist that she not operate a car while drunk or high -- and, equally important, that she not ride with a driver similarly intoxicated. If necessary, make yourself available for emergency pick-ups.

3. Choose a Safe Car.The type of car your teen driver operates can be a matter of life and death. Choose one in good working condition, with solid crash test scores and a strong record for reliability. If shopping for a used car, closely inspect tires and brakes, belts and hoses, and other systems that can influence the safety or dependability of the vehicle.

4. Ride Periodically with Your Teen Continue to ride with your teen driver from time to time, reviewing safety tips and monitoring his driving skills. Bad habits can crop up at any time, but are especially prevalent in the beginning years of driving. Best to nip them in the bud. Frequent, ongoing drive-alongs are the best way to keep tabs on a teen driver's progress. Remember that the first few years are absolutely crucial in establishing solid driving habits, which can then lead to a lifetime of safe driving.

5. Have Your Child Share Insurance and Other Costs Since driving is a privilege and not a right, consider having your child share in the cost of operating the vehicle. This will not only teach her responsibility, but will also give her a dawning realization that nothing is free. It might also translate into better driving skills.

Well, there you have it -- our top 10 safety tips for teen drivers. We trust you'll utilize them in keeping your child safe on the road.

Whatever your decisions in this area, realize that direct involvement with your child is the best way to insure against accidents and fatalities. Taking an active role can truly make a difference.

Souce:http://www.edmunds.com/advice/womenfamilies/articles/45396/article.html

Safety Tips for Traveling

Traveling to unfamiliar destinations can bring to you the sort of troubles you do not want to experience while on the road namely: robbery, rape, or murder. Tourists often fall prey to perpetrators because they do not prepare properly before embarking on a trip. Let's examine some things you should do to prevent your travels from becoming a tragedy:

1. Never list your home address on the luggage tag. If on business, put the company's address on the tag; if visiting friends you can list their address. Use covered luggage tags as well.

2. Stay with your luggage until the luggage is checked. If you must put your bag down, keep one foot on the handle.

3. Carry important papers with you; NEVER check anything that you simply cannot afford to lose. Photocopy your passport, driver's license and credit cards.

4. Bring a small flashlight. You never know when you'll suddenly be "in the dark" and find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings. At night, keep your flashlight by your bed.

5. Make sure that your prescription medicines are filled properly and labeled accurately. In some countries certain prescription medicines are forbidden.

6. Never wear anything that projects affluence. No gold chains, expensive watches and rings, luggage, or other paraphernalia should be in easy view. Better yet: leave your jewelry at home.

7. If possible travel with only one or two credit cards.

8. Women particularly should never accept a drink from a stranger. Keep an eye on your drink at all times.

9. Vary your schedule; try not to come and go at the same time everyday.

10. Only stay in a hotel that uses cards to open room doors and make sure your room has a peephole and a deadbolt lock. Secure the chain and secure the door by pushing a rubber stop under it.

11. Stay in a room near a stairwell. Never take the elevator if a fire or smoke is detected. Always stay in a hotel where the doors enter the hallway and not directly from the outside.

12. Do not wear name tags in public.

13. Do not use unmarked taxi cabs.

14. Sit behind the driver so you can see him, but he cannot see you.

15. Pay the driver upon arriving at your destination and while you are still sitting in the vehicle.

16. If you must rent a car, rent only from a reputable company. Any operating problems that occur could signal sabotage.

17. Be aware of 'staged' car accidents meant to catch you off card.

18. Back into your parking spaces to facilitate a quick exit.

19. Park only in well lit and well traveled areas.

20. If your cell phone does not work outside of the country, consider renting one that does for the duration of your trip.

21. If detained for whatever reason by an official, ask for identification. If in doubt, tell them that you want to see his superior. Keep your emotions in check.

22. If traveling with children, bring along an updated photograph of each child in the event that you become separated from them.

23. Write your child's name and your hotel number on each card; include a close friend's or relative's contact information on the card. Give a card to each child which they will carry with them as long as you are away. Destroy once home.

24. Discuss with your family what they would do in event of an emergency while away from home, e.g. whom to call, how to contact emergency personnel, etc.

25. Do not discuss travel plans, your room number or any other personal information in public within earshot of strangers.

26. Bring along a basic first aid kit with bandages, iodine, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, alcohol packets, dramamine, pepto bismol, diarrhea medicine, etc.

27. Familiarize yourself with train and bus schedules before traveling. Have an alternate plan in place in the event your transportation plans change.

28. Do not flash your passport in public. Discreetly show important documents to officials only.

29. Consider purchasing portable alarms that emit a loud sound.

30. Watch for scams on the street. Children working with adults are notorious as pickpockets.

31. Never flash your money in public. Exchange funds with reputable and recognized exchangers only.

32. Have tips ready in advance for service personnel.

33. Consider renting an escort [security] service if traveling in areas where crime is high.

The key to safe traveling in any area is situational awareness. Distractions because of luggage, children, hotel personnel, strangers, etc. can put you at risk. Know your surroundings and stay in control of every situation.

Source:ezinearticles.com

Protect Your Pets During Fireworks Display

Mesa Animal Control would like to remind residents that pets can become highly distressed by the additional noise, lights and commotion involved with the Independence Day weekend. With fireworks during the Southwest Ambulance Arizona Celebration of Freedom in downtown Mesa Saturday, July 3 and various Fourth of July fireworks shows, pet owners are encouraged to follow these tips to prevent problems:

• Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so an owner can be contacted if the animal does escape. This includes current licenses for dogs.
• Do not take your pets with you to any outdoor activity where there will be a fireworks display.
• Leave your dogs inside your home with the television or radio on to help cover noise from fireworks. Close the blinds so bright flashing lights do not further alarm your pets. Crate your dog if it is used to being in a crate.
• Never leave your pets in the car; they could suffer serious health effects, including death, within a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air but do provide an opportunity for your pet or vehicle to be stolen.
• If your pet escapes, go to the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control shelter at 2630 W. 8th St., Mesa to check for your animal. Call (602) 506-7387 for shelter hours.

If you find a lost pet, call Mesa Animal Control at (480) 644-2268 to request a pickup. Office hours are normally Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. but the office will be closed on Monday, July 5 and calls will be responded to on Tuesday, July 6.

Source: Evliving.com

Some Safety Tips for Outdoor Grilling!

There's no better way to celebrate summer than to barbecue outdoors, as long as you take special steps to keep your family safe from grilling accidents or injuries. Here are tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for safeguarding your family. Gas grill safety tips When cooking outdoors with a gas grill, check the air tubes that lead into the burner for any blockage from insects, spiders or food grease, and follow these tips to reduce the risk of fire or explosion:

• Check grill hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. Make sure there are no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.
• Move gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and dripping hot grease.
• Always keep propane gas containers upright.
• Never store a spare gas container under or near the grill or indoors.
• Never store or use flammable liquids, like gasoline, near the grill.
• Never keep a filled container in a hot car or car trunk. Heat will cause the gas pressure to increase, which may open the relief valve and allow gas to escape. Charcoal grill safety tips Charcoal produces carbon monoxide (CO) when it is burned. CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can accumulate to toxic levels in closed environments. To reduce the risk of CO poisoning:
• Never burn charcoal inside of homes, vehicles, tents or campers.
• Charcoal should never be used indoors, even if ventilation is provided.
• Since charcoal produces CO fumes until the charcoal is completely extinguished, do not store the grill indoors with freshly used coals.

Souce: ivillage.com

Fun in the Sun Safety Tips

We receive the most sun exposure before age 18. As children, we take every opportunity to go outside to ride a bike, play ball, or just hang out with friends. As adolescents, we bake in the sun (or a tanning salon) to achieve a "healthy” tan.

Sun damage to the skin accumulates over the years. Every sunburn increases our risk for skin cancer. Therefore, it’s crucial to start to protect your skin today, and teach your children to protect themselves from sunburn.

You need to start early. Here’s how:

Babies 6 months of age and younger:

Keep your baby in the shade as much as possible.
Cover her body with a long-sleeve cotton shirt and pants.
Place a broad rimmed hat on her head.
Sunglasses are not a bad idea!
Sunscreen lotion is not recommended under the age of 6 months.


Children over 6 months old:

Stay in the shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is the strongest.
Remember that your child may get sunburnt within 10 minutes-- even with sunscreen!
Wear sunscreen even on cloudy days, as 80% of sunrays will penetrate through the clouds.
Apply sunscreen SPF 30 or greater to all exposed body areas, and reapply every 2-3 hours and after swimming.
Wear hat & sunglasses.


Prevention of sunburn is important not only to prevent skin cancer, but also the discomfort of a burn itself. Sun exposure may lead to first or second degree burns.

A first-degree burn causes redness or discoloration of the skin, mild swelling, and pain. These symptoms usually last 1-5 days. A second-degree burn causes redness, blistering of the skin, swelling, and considerable pain. When blisters pop, the compromised skin barrier allows bacterial entry, increasing ones risk for serious skin infections. Healing of second-degree burns may take 10-14 days.

If you or your family members get a sunburn, you can take the following steps:
Increase fluid intake
Apply cool compresses to affected skin
Give Tylenol as needed

If there is no improvement or symptoms get worse, seek medical attention immediately.

Source:PluggedinParents.com