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Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Kiddie & Inflatable Pools Safety Tips

It’s no secret that in ground pools can be dangerous, especially for young children. The start of the summer season often comes with tragic stories about children drowning in pools. Parents might try to minimize their child’s risk by avoiding in ground pools altogether and buying kiddie or inflatable pools they can set up in their backyard and fill with a hose. Above ground pools are not risk-free, and unfortunately, many children have lost their lives. In the U.S., accidental drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1-14. According to a study published in Pediatrics, from 2001-2009 there were a reported 209 fatal drowning’s caused by portable, above ground pools. The majority of the cases involved children younger than 5 years old. Inflatable pools have pliable sides that sag under the weight of a child. A head-heavy toddler could easily topple in.

Here are a few safety tips that may help prevent an above ground pool accident:

• Always supervise children who are using an inflatable or kiddie pool. It only takes seconds for an accident to happen, an adult should always be present.

• When not in use, always drain the pool out.

• Once you’ve emptied out the pool, flip the pool upside down to ensure it doesn’t collect rainwater. Even a few inches of rainwater could be enough to drown a child.

• Learn CPR. No matter how vigilant you are, there is always the risk of incidents occurring that are beyond your control. Parents or guardians are encouraged to learn pediatric CPR.

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Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Facts About Drunken Driving

Everyone knows of the dangers of drunk driving. Even “buzzed” driving can greatly affect your motor skills and cause a serious car accident. How common and dangerous are drunken driving accidents in Florida? Here are some facts about drunk driving from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

–Between 2003 and 2012, 8476 people lost their lives in Florida drunk driving accidents (CDC). On average, this means that 850 people lost their lives each year – or 71 per month, 17 per week, or just over two per day, every day, for 10 years. In fact, 28 percent of all traffic deaths in Florida are due to drunk driving.

–Floridians are more likely than the national average to admit to driving drunk (CDC). The CDC did a poll in all 50 states to see how many adults admit to having driven after drinking an unsafe amount. The results show that Florida’s drivers are more likely to admit they have driven drunk – 2.1 percent of adults in Florida compared to a nationwide average of 1.9 percent.

–Florida’s drunken driving death rates are higher than the national average. (CDC). According to the CDC, the nationwide drunk driving death rate is 3.3 deaths per 100,000 people. In Florida, however, the rate is 3.7 deaths per 100,000 people. Among Floridians ages 21 to 34, the difference between the national death rate and Florida’s is even greater: 6.7 per 100,000 nationwide, compared to 8.0 per 100,000 in Florida.

–Men are more likely than women to die in crashes caused by drunk driving (CDC). An analysis of crashes in which the driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher found that 5.7 men per 100,000 died in drunk driving crashes, compared to 1.7 women per 100,000. Both numbers were higher than the national averages of 5.2 men and 1.5 women per 100,000.

–Underage and binge drinking are significant problems in Florida – and a big contributor to drunk driving car accidents (MADD). A MADD study of underage and binge drinking found that among young people ages 12 to 20, 28 percent admitted to drinking alcohol at least once in the previous month – a total of 595,000 Florida teens and young adults. In this same age group, 17.6 percent, or 376,000 admitted to binge drinking in the past month. Even without alcohol, young drivers already are at the biggest risk for car accidents due to lack of experience, so adding alcohol to the mix makes the problem much worse.

–Drunken driving crash rates are going down, but the number of pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists killed or injured in drunk driving crashes is going up (FLHSMV). Between 2009 and 2010, the overall rate of drunk driving crashes dropped by 11.6 percent, according to the FLHMSV. But the rate of pedestrian deaths jumped 3.5 percent, and the rate of motorcyclist and motorcycle passenger deaths jumped an astonishing 20 percent. Bicyclists also suffered nearly 4 percent more serious injuries in drunk-driving crashes.

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

How to Handle Traffic Jams

Let’s face it, when you are coming home at 5:00 pm from work, you already know what you are going to be faced with: rush hour traffic. We all know rush hour traffic is not the usual steady flow of cars but rather stop and go traffic that can hinder your journey going home from being stress free. It almost feels as though you are a sardine packed in a can along with the rest of the vehicles on the road and after a long day of work which is something no one wants to deal with. To top it off, everyone is in a rush to get home so of course you are not going to run into the most pleasant drivers on the road. You may also be so frustrated that you miss your turn or exit. In addition to that, the exhaustion from the heat being cooped up in your car may cause you be a little more than cranky. Hopefully these tips will help you to keep your cool when you’re experiencing heavy traffic.

Drive Defensively

You must expect the unexpected. The unexpected includes someone cutting you off, a motorcyclist speeding between lanes or others attempting to squeeze themselves into spaces their car just will not fit into in order to get a “little” ahead.

Take Advantage of Gaps

By no means should you squeeze into the smallest gap possible or cut other people off. That was briefly covered above and we want to avoid doing things we don’t like other drivers doing to us. You also cannot hesitate too long in traffic. Please remember that whatever you are thinking, there are multiple other drivers on the road thinking the same thing. Make sure you keep a watchful eye on your mirrors and other drivers and when a space opens up enough for you to pull into safely, put on your signal and go.

Remove Distractions

When the traffic is heavy and the road is literally packed with other vehicles, that is the time when you should be most attentive. You want to continue to keep the flow of traffic steady not hinder it from it moving. Resist the urge to check your Facebook during a traffic stop, pay attention to what is going on around you, this will also help you prevent an accident that would occur if you had not been paying attention.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

3 Ways To Relieve Stress While In A Traffic

Keeping calm and cool in the car when moving at a Turtle’s pace through traffic is sometimes easier said than done. While being stuck in traffic may be more difficult to deal with everyday, almost twice a day, finding a sense of inner peace while sitting for longer periods of unexpected time is worth it.

How do I keep my cool during my commute? Here are the three ways to relieve stress while in traffic:

#1 – Opening the car windows

The fact that you’re about to spend the next nine hours sitting down in a cubicle and breathing recirculating air brings most people’s moral down, so on the way and after work put your windows down and enjoy some fresh air. The wind blowing through your hair and face can help you to stay awake, feel alive, and bring your spirits up towards your destination. If you live in an area that has chilly temperatures 60 degrees or below, a stress relieving trick you can enjoy is turning your heater on towards your legs and then put your windows down is extremely relaxing, trust me.

#2 – Have a tasty drink in the morning

Stop by a store, drive-thru, or bring something from home to enjoy on your drive to work. You could of course have coffee, but it isn’t for everyone, you can have a smoothie, juice, soda, or whatever favorite beverage you like to keep handy on your way to work. Though it shouldn’t have to be said but this does exclude any drink that contains alcohol of any sort.

#3 – Create a smooth playlist

There’s only one reason why speakers and a stereo system was installed in cars; and that’s to enjoy music. Certain music is appropriate for meditation as it can help the mind and initiate relaxation. Smooth music like Jazz, Blues, Classical, R&B, Bachata, and Reggae are just a few genres that are comforting in commute to your destination. Create a playlist and search around to find what produces a sense of calmness for you.