SAFETY AND YOUR HEALTH

You may not often think about the effect safety has on your health, but accidental injury, motor vehicle collisions, fires, violent crime, and firearms constitute major causes of death and disability in the United States. Working in your home and community to prevent accidental and violent injury is an important but often neglected responsibility. Safety issues arise in countless places, from the dead battery in the smoke detector to the seat belt left unbuckled in the car. Drinking alcohol greatly increases your risk of injury. For example, men have a much higher risk of accidental drowning than do women, and alcohol is implicated in about 40 percent of such incidents. Drinking alcohol also heightens the risk of accidents from motor vehicle collisions, including those involving motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and bicycles.

You can do a lot to make your home safer. Many home safety hazards are easy to overlook but also easy to fix (see page 36). Check all areas of your home to make sure that electrical and telephone cords are unfrayed, rugs and mats have nonslip backings, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order, and space heaters and wood-burning stoves are properly installed and functioning. Have an emergency exit plan and practice it with all members of your family. Keep hallways and stairways free of clutter. Place a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Make sure that your power tools and any flammable liquids or poisonous chemicals are properly labeled and stored in your basement, garage, and workshop.

Home security measures can go a long way toward making your home even safer. Install secure, deadbolt locks on all doors and windows and make sure your entry doors are constructed of solid materials. Outdoor lighting kept on at night discourages intruders from approaching your home. When you are away from home, ask a neighbor to pick up your newspapers and mail, and put a timer on some indoor lights to simulate a lived-in appearance. Join or organize a neighborhood watch group so you and your neighbors can look out for each other's property.

When you are out early in the morning or late at night, stay alert for potential threats. Always keep your wallet inside your coat pocket or front pants pocket, not in your back pocket. Keep your car in good running order, and never pick up hitchhikers. If someone does try to rob you, give up your wallet; it's less important than your life. Be sure to report the crime to the police.

You can easily incorporate such protective measures into your daily routine to make your life more safety-conscious. This section of the book looks at the causes of accidental injury and suggests practical safety measures you can take to prevent injury to yourself and others in your home and community.