Summer Safety...

With the beautiful warm and sunny weather this weekend, summer has unofficially begun in New England. This is a good time to think about saftey.

According to statistics, summer is the season when injuries are most prevelent. Whether through motor vehicle accidents, sports, or even violence, hospitals all begin to see a rise in admissions at this time of year. More often than not, the people who are hurt in these circumstances are young adults. Many of them will incur life-changing spinal cord injuries (SCI) and tramatic brain injuries (TBI) that leave them permanantly disabled. This is a difficult fact of life to accept...

But there is good news - a lot of these injuries are easily preventable! Behavioral Health researchers have taught us that many "accidents" are really preventable injuries. Here are a few sensible reminders that could change someone's life:

- always wear a seatbelt
- obey posted warnings such as, Do Not Dive or Grooved Pavement
- abide by speed limits
- keep windows closed when young children are around
- wear helmets when bike riding, motorcyclng, sledding, skiing and skating

The Boston Public Health Commission is working to lower the number of injuries in the city through several initiatives, such as: a Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Program and Kids Can't Fly window saftey program. They also distribute helmets to families who meet certain qualifications.

Check out their website for more safety tips at: www.bphc.org

And remember: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!