Page 2 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - June 2016 - 23-06

Page 2 Senior Times - June 2016
SUMMER SAFETY TIPS By: Trooper Kristi Angelo
Summertime is a popular time for grand- children to visit. With that said, it’s a good time for grandparents to reevaluate safety measures before and during their visit.
Summertime fun usually means vacation and hot weather traveling. To keep yourself and family safe and cool in the vehicle while traveling remember these driving safety tips.
Summer temperatures can bring dangerously hot conditions in your vehicle. Remember to check that your air conditioning is working properly. Never leave grand children or pets waiting in a vehicle.
Before taking a long trip have your vehicle inspected for safety. Have your oil, transmission, coolant, brake, power steering, and windshield fluids checked. Make sure your windshield wipers are working properly. Remember to check your tire pressure; for every 10 degrees of air temperature your tire pressure can increase by one pound.
When planning a road trip make sure
to have up to date road maps or a route planned out with a GPS. Always share your travel itinerary with family or friends.
Don’t overload your vehicle. Check the owner’s manual for maximum weight of cargo and passengers that your vehicle can safely carry.
Summer weather increases road construction work. Be careful to navigate safely through construction zones. Obey the construction speed zones and watch for the work crew and vehicles in the construction zones.
Did you know that in Michigan you are never more than six miles from a body of water? We are known for our great lakes and with that come some common sense water safety tips.
Remember to never leave grand children alone in or near the pool. When children are in or around water have an adult that knows how to swim and perform CPR within arm’s length to provide close supervision.
Remember the saying, Reach, Throw, and Go. With that in mind make sure to equip your pool area with proper equipment to prevent a drowning.
Keep rescue equipment and portable telephones near the pool. Rescue equipment can include a Shepherd’s hook (a long pole with a hook on the end) and a life preserver near the pool. The Shepherd’s hook should be made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity. Do not relay on inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties” to replace an approved life jacket. These devices can give children and parents a false sense of security.
Share safety instructions with family, friends, and neighbors.
When on a boat people should wear life jackets at all times especially non-swimmers and children. Make sure that the life jacket is the right size for the individual using it and that all straps and belts are used.
Remember the dangers of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs; even some prescription medications can affect your ability to operate a boat safely.
When swimming in open waters never swim alone. Even experienced swimmers need to use the buddy system. Remember never dive into water if you don’t know
the depth and check for underwater objects. Never swim in canals or in any fast moving water.
Know about rip tides. If you find yourself caught in a rip tide remember to swim parallel to the shore until you escape the current and then immediately swim back to the shore.
A note about safe driving as you
age must also be included here. Research has shown that even though older drivers travel fewer miles per year they are more prone to being seriously injured or killed in a traffic crash.
Taking appropriate steps to be a safe driver are easier than you might think. Even though the fatality rate for drivers age 65 and older is an astonishing 17 times higher than the rate for drivers 25 to 64 years old, the good news is that the number and severity of crashes involving older drivers in Michigan is declining.
It is important to recognize that driving is a physical exercise, which requires a certain level of strength, flexibility and coordination to do safely. Flexibility fitness training can be an effective tool in improving range of motion and increasing levels of fitness among older drivers, resulting in better driving skills.
In addition to flexibility exercises, it may be important to learn more about how to safely cope with a decline in vision as well as hearing. Learning about safety and mobility features available in new cars can be helpful as well.
Please enjoy your vacation and holidays. Remember just a few precautions can make a big difference in making the summer safe and fun for everyone.
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