Summer Safety 101

Last updated 10 months ago

Summer provides a great opportunity for children to enjoy the balmy weather and all of the recreational opportunities that the area has to offer. While this freedom and independence is great, it also comes with a higher risk of injury. This guide from one of the leading heart hospitals in San Jose, the Regional Medical Center of San Jose, covers some important safety tips for ensuring the health and well-being of your child this summer.

Recreational Safety
An active child is a healthy child, but most recreational sports such as biking, skating, swimming, and swimming all come with some amount of inherent risk. In order to reduce the likelihood of severe injury, invest in appropriately rated safety gear for the head, elbows, and knees, and ensure that risky activities are performed under the supervision of an adult whenever possible. If small children are in the area, then be sure to keep them separated from water; according to Safe Kids USA, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in children under the age of 14.
Pedestrian Safety
Toddlers are particularly susceptible to pedestrian accidents, as they are less able to assess potential motor vehicle hazards either on or off the road. While the street poses the biggest threat to your child, it is important to remember that many non-traffic incidents also occur in driveways, parking lots, and sidewalks.
Driver Safety
Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death among teenagers. Research from the IIHS shows that drivers ages 16 to 19-years-old were four times more likely to be involved in a crash than older drivers; additionally, 16-year-old drivers were twice as likely to crash compared to 18 and 19-year-olds. Educating your children on defensive driving techniques could be instrumental in avoiding a traffic disaster.

Accidents can still happen even with proper precautions, which is why we here at the Regional Medical Center of San Jose have striven to provide medical facilities of the highest quality since 1965. Read some of our patient testimonials online and call (888) 762-8881 today for more information about our healthcare services.