HOW TO LIVE THE LONGEST LIFE POSSIBLE Youthful and Attractive

Driving

Use Seatbelts. Practice good safety habits at home to prevent accidents such as fires and falls. Many people suddenly lose their lives, and many more lose aspects of their health due to accidents. It is so unfortunate for someone to suddenly lose the remaining ten, thirty, fifty or more years of their life; or lose their ability to move around on their own, all because of a quick, unexpected accident.

The following tips are designed to make sure that such a thing does not happen to you:

Use Seatbelts: In 1996 there were 57,038 deaths due to motor vehicle accidents. This represents people from the following age groups:

	AGE	DEATHS
	Under 14	6,466
	15-24	20,650
	24 +	16,112

Automobile accidents are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. In fact, more people died as a result of motor vehicle accidents in 1978 (50,000) than Americans who died in World War I, the Korean War, or all ten years of the Vietnam conflict, combined!

Motor vehicle accidents kill, cripple, and change the lives of more people than any other kind of accident. The motor vehicle is the leading cause of accidental deaths of people under 75 years of age, and the leading cause of all deaths of people between the ages of 15 and 24.

75% of automobile deaths are males, and most do not involve other vehicles (accidents involving overturning, running off the road, and running into stationary objects).

Almost half of teenage deaths involve excessive speed (44%). Accidents of those 75 years old and over tend to involve right-of-way violations, such as disregard of traffic control, failure to yield, and pedestrian accidents.

One-half of all motor vehicle accidents involve alcohol. 62% of all deaths and injuries involving alcohol occur between 6 P.M. and 3 A.M. There has been a sharp increase in traffic accidents since the lowering of the drinking age.

Avoid dangerous situations in traffic. Follow all traffic laws (there are good reasons for each one), drive defensively, and watch out for pedestrians.

1. Keep your driving speed within the posted limits.
2. Obey all traffic laws; carefully avoid minor traffic violations.
3. Don't sneak through yellow lights.
4. Signal well in advance of turning.
5. Maintain proper distance from the vehicle in front of you.
6. Follow all speed control regulations.

Neglecting just one of these precautions once, can cost a life or a limb.

This data is important only to bring each of us to the awareness that fires in the home are an imminent danger to each of us - not just to "the other guy".

Here are some additional statistics, just to let you know what to look out for:

• Fires in the bedroom and the living room are the most dangerous, although only about one fourth of all fires start there. They account for 7 out of 10 home fire deaths. Almost two thirds of all home fires start in the kitchen, but result in only 1 in 6 deaths.
• 75% of fatal home fires start between 9:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M.
• 75% of home fire deaths are due to fumes and hypoxia (lack of oxygen), not burning.

  You might want to note these preventive measures to help prevent a fire in your home:
  

  1. Buy and install smoke detectors.
  2. Design and practice a fire drill procedure for your family.
  3. Keep flammable items clear of fire hazards and electrical dangers.
  4. Don't place individual room heaters too close to draperies or furniture, where they might start a fire.
  5. Inspect fuel burning furnaces regularly. Clogged flues may allow dangerous gasses to accumulate inside the house.
  6. Have fireplace chimneys inspected and cleaned annually to prevent buildup of creosote, a material that may catch fire.
  7. If you smoke, don't smoke in bed.

  In the unfortunate event that you have a fire, follow these important guidelines to safety:
  

  1. Follow your pre-planned fire drill procedure.
  2. Roll out of bed (don't jump up), to stay below the smoke and toxic gasses.
  3. Aim to get out of the house immediately. Don't stop to pick up valuables. Don't reach for the phone. Don't get dressed. Just get out. You can quickly be overcome by smoke.
  4. Crawl toward your primary fire exit (usually the door) on your hands and knees, not on your belly. Some toxic gasses are heavy, and settle near the floor.
  5. When you get to the door, don't open it immediately. Feel the doorknob. If it's hot, don't open it; find another way out. If it's not hot, open it; if you're met with smoke, close it immediately and find another way out.
  6. Close every door behind you (but don't lock any), to suppress drafts from feeding the fire.
  7. If your clothes catch on fire, don't run. Lie down and roll the fire out.
  8. Never go back into a burning building.
  9. Replace damaged or worn electrical cords.
  10. Never run electrical cords across rooms, or under rugs or other objects.
  11. When using electrical appliances, follow all directions.
  12. Don't overload house circuits.
  

  Home Safety

  1. Be sure, when using electrical appliances, that your hands are dry and that you are standing on a dry floor.
  2. Use plastic instead of glass containers in the bathroom.
  3. Put non-skid pads in the tub and shower.
  4. Never leave an infant unattended in the bath, even for a moment.
  5. Make sure you have quick access to your main controls for gas, water, and electricity.
  6. Store heavy items low to the floor.
  7. Wrap razor blades and broken glass well before discarding.
  8. Use a stepladder rather than furniture to climb to high places.
  9. Clean the oven of excess grease, and don't leave greasy pans or aluminum inside.
  10. You may have an unwanted fire if you forget they are there and light the oven.
  11. Lock up sharp objects such as scissors and tools, especially electrical tools, from children.
  12. Inspect your stove and other gas appliances regularly for leaks.
  13. Lock up your power lawn mower, and don't try to refuel a hot engine.
  14. Make sure all windows lock, for security at night.
  15. Maintain a complete first aid kit.
  16. Keep the right kinds of fire extinguishers in the right places. Your fire department can help.
  17. Make sure that any hooks, etc. are above eye level.
  18. Make certain that sliding glass doors are visible, and of shatterproof glass.
  19. Put emergency phone numbers readily visible on the phone: Fire Dept., Police, Ambulance, and your local Poison Control Center (see the white pages).
  20. Beware of wearing loose clothing near gas burners.
  21. Always remove your car keys from the car.
  22. Stairway light switches should be both at the top and at the bottom of the stairway.
  23. Lift objects with your legs, not your back, and always get help when moving heavy objects.
  

  Special Safety Tips For Seniors

  Many "broken hips" in the elderly are not really broken hips, but "femoral neck fractures". That is, the neck of the femur bone, in the area of the hip becomes weak due to osteoporosis and breaks. Too often the resulting immobilization results in death not long after the accident. For this reason it is imperative that precautions be taken to lessen the likelihood of such an accident.

  The following suggestions may help:
  

  • Make certain that all carpet edges are tacked down to avoid tripping.
  • Do not leave toys or other items in walkways.
  • Have hand rails installed in the bathroom to aid balance.
  • Check all steps and stairways for adequate light, handrails, and resting places.
  • Make certain that all walking pathways are firm, and not slippery.
  • Have all medications in childproof containers, with large lettering.

    If only one of these tips saves the life or limb of only one person on your block, your special attention to these tips will have been worth while. And the person saved might be you, or your loved one.

    Carl Bourhenne, MA

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