CPSC Urges Parents to Help Children Avoid Injuries As They Head Back to School
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Your kids may already know their ABCs, but do you know the ABCs of keeping your children safe as they head back to school? The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging parents to put safety at the top of their lists of things to do and to pay special attention to helmets, art materials, and back-to-school clothing this fall.



Parents and school officials should also look for hidden hazards on playgrounds and on soccer fields that could sideline children with injuries or may even be deadly.



CPSC offers the following ABCs of back-to-school safety:



A - Always wear the right helmet for the activity.



Wearing a helmet significantly reduces the risk of a head injury and can save your child’s life. Bicycle helmets, for instance, can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent.



There are different helmets for different activities. Each type of helmet is made to protect the head from the impacts that are common to a particular sport or activity. For the best protection, make sure your child wears the right helmet whether it’s for biking, football or baseball.



Fit is important. A helmet should be comfortable and snug, level on the head and securely buckled so it doesn’t move or fall off during a fall or collision.



For more information on helmet safety, go to CPSC’s publication "Which Helmet for Which Activity" at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/349.pdf



B - Be safe on the playground and on the soccer field.



Hidden hazards can lurk on the playground or sports field. More than 200,000 children each year visit hospital emergency rooms due to injuries received on...

[Please register to see this link Register]

[Please register to see this link Register]