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Child Passenger Safety Facts
Is holding a child in my lap safe enough?
| No, not even for short rides. This is the most dangerous way for a child to ride because the child could be thrown upon impact. You could also be thrown on top of the child with crushing force, if you are not wearing your belt. At 30 miles per hour, a 20 pound child turns into a 600 pound "sumo wrestler" in a crash. |
Who should use a booster seat?
A child who cannot sit with his or her back against the vehicle seat back cushion with knees bent over the vehicle’s seat edge without slouching, must use a booster seat no matter what age, weight or height.
Should pregnant women wear safety belts?
| Yes. Pregnant women should protect themselves and their babies by wearing lap belts (under the abdomen, across the hips) and shoulder belts. |
Water Safety Facts
What are the best ways of preventing children from drowning?
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Make sure an adult is constantly watching young children swimming or playing in water.
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Do not read, play cards, talk on the phone, mow the lawn, or do any other distracting activity while watching children in a bathtub, in a pool of any size, or at the beach.
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Teach children to swim only with a buddy.
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Keep small children away from buckets containing liquid: 5-gallon industrial containers are particularly hazardous.
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Empty buckets when household chores are done.
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Install a four-sided, isolation pool-fence with self-closing and self-latching gates around swimming pools.
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Prevent children from having direct access from the house or yard to a swimming pool.
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Do you recommend water wings for children who cannot swim?
| No. We recommend that no one use water wings. It may provide parents and children a false sense of security, as nothing can replace the ability to swim. |
Paddling
American Canoe Association (ACA) Rules Of The Road:
WHAT PADDLERS NEED TO KNOW
BE AWARE
First and foremost, please be aware of your surroundings.
BIG BOATS, BRIGHT LIGHTS
Some busy waterways have "lanes of travel" similar to the Interstate highway system. Know the area you plan to paddle.
RIGHTS OF PASSAGE
Learn the channels in your area and what the buoy markers mean.
REMEMBER:
Wear your lifejacket (PFD)
File a float plan
Carry AND drink water
Watch out for the other guy
Plan ahead
Stay with your group
Have a great adventure and come home safely
Source: Sierra Magazine
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