Safe Kids Clark County News Articles

Written on Sunday, July 30th, 2006


Summer Safety

Warm weather is here again and it’s time for those important reminders to keep us all healthy and safe during the summer months.

Water Safety

Remember the ABCDs of drowning prevention:
A: Adult Supervision. Always have an adult supervising children while they are around water, including pools, bathtubs, and toilets. Designate one adult and never assume that “someone” is watching the kids.
B: Barriers. Install a 5’ high fence around the pool and use locks and alarms on doors and windows leading to the pool area.
C: Classes. Every family member and caregiver should learn rescue techniques, CPR, and how to call 911. Children should take swimming classes, but remember that just because they take a class does not mean they are safe in the water.
D: Devices. Kids should wear life jackets around open bodies of water, especially while boating. Keep a telephone by the pool and in the bathroom so it’s handy if you need to call 911.

  • Don’t rely on floaties, inflatable toys, or tub seats to save your child’s life.
  • Don’t keep toys near the pool.
  • Teach children to never swim near a pool drain and keep long hair pinned up.
  • Know where the cut-off switch is for the pool pump in case something gets caught in the drain.

For more drowning prevention information, visit the Southern Nevada Health District web page on drowning prevention at http://www.gethealthyclarkcounty.org/injury_prev/drowning.html .

Vehicle Safety

Remember that Nevada state law says that children under 60 lbs. and under age 6 must be in an appropriate child restraint. Unfortunately, vehicle belts won’t fit the vast majority of kids until they reach age 9 or 10, so give the older kids a boost and use a booster seat.

  • Never, ever leave a child alone in a vehicle for any amount of time! The temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly limits within minutes and cracking a window won’t help

    • .

  • Place your purse or wallet under the child’s car seat so you must always look at the car seat before leaving the vehicle.
  • Or, place a teddy bear or child’s blanket in the front passenger seat to remind you to look in the back seat.
  • After removing your child from his car seat, place a white towel over the seat to protect it from the hot sun. Don’t forget to remove the towel before placing your child back in the seat.
  • Always keep your children buckled up in their car seat or booster seat, even when you’re in line at a fast food restaurant or dropping them off at school. An unrestrained child will become a projectile even in a 10 mph crash.
  • Never let your child play in your vehicle. A motor vehicle is a tool, not a toy. He could accidentally shift the vehicle into gear or release the parking brake. He could also be strangled by a power window that has a rocker- or toggle-style switch.
  • Always take a bottle of water with you when you run an errand. That 10 minute trip to the bank could take an hour or more if your vehicle battery dies or you get a flat tire.
  • Don’t forget to check your tire pressure before you have driven one mile. Underinflation causes excessive heat, which combined with our hot roads, can lead to a dangerous blowout.

Bike Safety

Now is not the time to take off helmets just because it’s hot out. A properly fitted bike helmet can reduce head injury by up to 88% and could prevent up to 75% of bicycle-related child fatalities.

  • Always use a properly fitted bike helmet.
  • Let your child pick out her helmet at the store. She’s more likely to wear it if she chooses it.
  • Use an ANSI, Snell or ASTM International certified helmet.
  • Make sure children know the rules of the road and have them stick to the sidewalk when riding.
  • Be a good role model! Adults should wear bike helmets too. Parents and caregivers are just as vulnerable to head injuries as children are.

Please visit our Safety Tips page for more safety tips and have a great summer!

Child Safety Seats: Are You Doing It Right?

Properly installed child safety seats save lives and prevent injuries. In Clark County, the misuse rate for safety seat installation and use is over 98%; nationally it's 80%. Here are some safety tips to help make sure you're doing it right.

  • All children ages 12 and under should ride in the back seat.
  • Infants should be in rear-facing child safety seats until at least 20 pounds and at least 1 year old. Never put a rear-facing infant or convertible safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle with an active passenger air bag.
  • Children over 1 year old and between 20 and 40 pounds can be in forward-facing child safety seats, or in rear-facing convertible seats if the child has not reached the maximum rear-facing weight.
  • Nevada law requires children to be in appropriate child restraints until age 6 and 60 pounds. If your child has outgrown the weight and height limits of a harnessed safety seat, a booster seat should be used. Children generally require booster seats until age 8 and 80 pounds and should always use lap and shoulder belts every time they ride. Adult safety belts alone do not adequately protect children this size from injury in a crash.
  • Usually, children over 80 pounds and 8 years old can fit correctly in lap/shoulder belts. When the child is sitting all the way back against the vehicle seat, the lap belt should fit across the child's hips, not the stomach. The shoulder belt should cross the center of the shoulder. Do not let your children put shoulder belts under their arms or behind their backs. This could result in serious injuries.
  • Read your child safety seat instruction manual and vehicle owner's manual carefully for proper installation. The seat should be locked tightly against the vehicle seat--it should not move more than 1 inch forward or side to side.
  • In many vehicles, lower LATCH anchors are not available for safety seat installation use in the center seating position. Use the seat belt instead if your vehicle owner's manual prohibits or doesn't mention LATCH use in the center position.
  • The harness should be snug on the child so that you cannot pinch any slack up and down in the webbing near the shoulders. For rear-facing children, the harness should come from below the shoulders. For forward-facing children, the harness should come from above the shoulders; read the safety seat manual for the proper slots to use.
  • Like other consumer products, child safety seats are occasionally recalled. Send in your child safety seat registration card to be sure you'll be notified or call the manufacturer to register your seat. You can also check the safety seat recall lists on our Recalls page.
  • Replace any child safety seat that has been involved in a crash.