Facts and figures
Most toy-related deaths in children 9 months to 12 years of age are caused by choking. Balloons are the number one cause of toy-related deaths.
Balloons are fun for kids and serve well as decorations, but they present a significant hazard if they break. Small children can be attracted to the bright and colorful pieces of broken balloons, and they often place them in their mouths.
Forty percent of all child injuries happen to children over 5 years old.
As children get older, parents naturally assume their child is less susceptible to danger. Older children should know better than to place dangerous items in their mouths, but a child's curiosity level does not decrease with age. Make sure small, dangerous items are out of reach of children and never leave your child unattended.
Children under the age of 12 should ride in the back seat of a vehicle.
According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, children under the age of 12 are 36 percent less likely to die in a crash if they are sitting in the back seat of a vehicle. Children enjoy riding in the front seat, but this dramatically increases the danger should a collision occur. Children 4 years or younger or 40 pounds or less should ride in a car seat, and every child should have a seat belt on.
Fifty infant deaths are caused by old cribs each year in the United States.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that cribs are responsible for 35 strangulation or suffocation deaths each year. A garage sale or a hand-me-down family crib may seem to be a great bargain, but it could be dangerous. Make sure your cribs are safely designed and the space between the crib slats is no more than 2 3/8 inches. Additional space beyond this can be a strangulation hazard. Always read and save the manufacturer instructions with any product that you purchase.
As many as 20,000 injuries per year are attributed to walker products designed for children.
Open doors leading to staircases are incredibly dangerous to toddlers cruising around in their walkers. Make sure secure safety gates are placed at the top of the stairs and all doors are shut when exiting a room. Instruct older children to close all doors when the rooms are not in use.
Each year four to five deaths occur because babies are not properly strapped into their high chairs.
Small children can easily slip down in their high chairs if they are not properly strapped into the seat. Injury, choking and perhaps death can occur as a result. Never leave a child unattended in a high chair and be sure your child is always securely strapped into the seat.
It takes less than five minutes for a fire to spread throughout a house.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fires kill more Americans each year than all natural disasters combined. Be sure to have a UL Listed smoke detector installed on every floor in your house and near the bedrooms. By providing an early warning in the event of fire, smoke alarms may allow you and your family enough time to escape. Be sure to have an escape plan in mind and be sure that your children know how to exit the house.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. Newborn babies are more vulnerable to CO poisoning.
CO is a poisonous gas that you cannot hear, taste, see or smell. It is nicknamed the silent killer because it sneaks up on its victims and can take lives without warning. CO poisoning causes flu-like symptoms, sometimes accompanied by pink or red rashes on the skin. Be sure you have a UL Listed CO alarm to detect dangerous levels of CO in your house.
