Child safety tips — window blinds

I've got a room in my house that is somewhat chilly around the windows. To minimize the heat loss during the winter, I recently installed some Roman shades over each window frame for (hopefully) added insulation. In reading the directions, I noticed that blind manufacturers now suggest trimming the pull cords as short as possible so children can't easily reach the cords. They also suggest separating each one of the pull cords from all the others so the cords won't form loops that a child could get his or her head stuck in.

Since I've got small children, I followed the recommendations of the manufacturer and trimmed the cords. I looked around the house at other blinds and noticed that older blinds in the house don't have separate pull cords — instead, they are all knotted together at the bottom. This poses the danger the manufacturer of my new Roman shade warned about, so I trimmed the remaining blinds in the house and separated the cords.

I hope this little safety tip helps those of you with children and grandchildren.

Halloween safety

Tom & Jerry jack-o-lanternMany of you will probably be trick-or-treating with loved ones tonight. Be sure and stay safe by following these tips from the CDC:

• Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
• Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
• Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
• Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
• Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don't run from house to house.
• Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
• Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
• Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
• Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
• Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
• Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
• Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult.
• Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.Provide healthier treats for trick-or-treaters such as low-calorie treats and drinks. For party guests, offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, and cheeses.
• Use party games and trick-or-treat time as an opportunity for kids to get their daily dose of 60 minutes of physical activity.
• Be sure walking areas and stairs are well-lit and free of obstacles that could result in falls.
• Keep candle-lit jack-o'lanterns and luminaries away from doorsteps, walkways, landings, and curtains. Place them on sturdy tables, keep them out of the reach of pets and small children, and never leave them unattended.
• Remind drivers to watch out for trick-or-treaters and to drive safely.

Happy Halloween from the Chaney Law Firm!

Factors in teen driving crashes

Traffic crashes account for one-quarter of all teen deaths, according to a recent report co-authored by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The four factors that most influence teen crashes are failure to use seat belts, speeding, alcohol use, and distracted driving. The report concludes that most teen driving crashes are attributable to inexeperience, and advocates for allowing teens to gain experience under lower-risk conditions, such as limiting the number of passengers in the teen's car.

For other recommendations for ensuring your teen's safety behind the wheel, check out the seven suggestions for parents we posted earlier. If you've got any other recommendations for keeping teens safe, we'd be happy to post them here.

Talk about teen driver safety this holiday season

Teens are much more likely to be involved in car crashses than older drivers. As reported here, there are seven things parents can do to keep their teens safe this holiday season. The suggestions include:

1. Sit with your son or daughter before and after he or she earns a driver’s permit or license. Discuss the dangers involved, and have a frank conversation about the consequences-those you will impose and those a judge will impose.

2. Get in the car and observe your child’s driving. The CDC recommends providing 30 to 50 hours of supervised driving practice forat least six months after a teen gets his or her license. Teach your young driver how to handle a vehicle in different weather conditions and under changing traffic circumstances.

3. Sign a written agreement that details all the rights and privileges, as well as consequences, your teen will be subject to in exchange for the car keys. The CDC has a useful template on its website.

4. Consider prohibiting nighttime driving, or at least set a driving curfew of 10 p.m. at the latest.

5. Restrict the number of passengers to one or none.

6. Take away the keys if you even suspect your child has been drinking and driving.

7. Take away the cell phone if your child has been calling or texting while driving.

Happy and safe holiday greetings from the Chaney Law Firm!

Chaney Firm speaks to 2nd and 3rd graders about child safety

In partnership with the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association and the Take 25 organization (www.take25.org), the lawyers of the Chaney Law Firm spoke to an assembly of second and third graders at Central Elementary on the morning of Wednesday, May 5th, to promote Child Safety. May 25 is National Missing Children’s Day, and May is a time for all of us to help kids understand how to stay safe in their homes, in their neighborhoods, at school, in public, and on the Internet. The Take 25 organization urges adults to take 25 minutes of their time to educate kids about the potential risks to kids’ safety and how to recognize and avoid those risks.

The Chaneys spoke to the children at Central Elementary about safety tips and encouraged a discussion with the students about what they can do to stay safe. The talk focused on what to do if strangers knock on their doors, or try to approach them in their neighborhoods, and how to protect personal information on the Internet, including how to choose safe user names and passwords. The students were encouraged to know their names, addresses, phone numbers, parents’ cell phone numbers, and where their parents work. The kids were instructed to write down the names of two trusted relatives or neighbors next to their home phones so they can get help if they are home alone. The Chaneys discussed how to stay safe on the way to school and what to do if they are bullied at school. The children were active participants in the discussion and asked great questions at the end of the presentation. The Chaneys finished the program by handing out stickers, magnets, child ID kits, safety rules, and a safety crossword puzzle. Parents of the Central Elementary children should help them fill out the child ID kits, which include space for identifying information about the child and room for a picture and fingerprints. If a child is abducted, parents can give the child ID kit to the police to quickly help return the child to safety.

The Chaneys encourage parents and kids to visit www.take25.org to learn more about child safety tips. There are 2,000 children abducted every day in the United States. Studies show that in 84% of abduction cases, children escaped their captors by their own actions, using their own good sense. Therefore, it really pays to keep kids as educated as possible about how to stay safe.

The Chaneys especially want to thank Melinda Morris and all the teachers and administrators at Central Elementary for hosting this important community event.