Garage and Driveway Safety
Garage and Driveway Safety
I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury attorney in Elk Grove. Driveways and garages may not appear like especially dangerous places, but they can harbor life-endangering hazards. Here’s how to keep you and your family safe in these two areas.
Keep Your Chemicals Secure
Keep antifreeze, fertilizer, paints and other chemicals out of reach of children or in a locked cabinet. Be mindful of pets getting into these items as well.
Be Smart About Cars
Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer. It is the most common cause of death and injury by poison in the world. Do not start or idle your vehicle while the garage door is closed. When you arrive home, lock your car, set the emergency brake to keep your car from rolling, and place the keys where youngsters can’t get to them.
Clean Up The Clutter
Garages that are untidy can cause injury. Objects fall and people trip. Keep the floor free of clutter by putting tools in drawers or by hanging them securely on the wall. Storing items in stackable containers also works well. Remember to store ladders on their sides, keep the space well lit, wipe up spills promptly and be sure your garage has a working smoke detector.
Properly Maintain the Garage Door
Garage doors and door-opening systems are responsible for approximately 20,000 injury-related accidents per year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Keep remote controls out of the reach of children. It is also very important to make sure your garage door-opener has a sensor or automatic-reverse function that will stop the garage door from moving if it comes into contact with an object. When going out of town, lock the door between the garage and the house and unplug the remote control receiver for added security.
Toys and Bikes Kept Out of the Garage
Some families keep toys and bicycles out of the garage and driveway all together. If you allow your children to play in the driveway, be sure to set some cones or other barriers up to prevent cars from pulling into the driveway. Be sure to check around your car prior to moving it. Back out of the garage and driveway slowly with your windows open, listening for kids and pets that might run into your path.
Elk Grove Personal Injury Attorneys
I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury attorney in Elk Grove. If you have been seriously injured in an accident, please give me a call at (916) 694-0002 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice.
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Visit my personal injury website: www.autoaccident.com.
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I’ve been practicing in personal injury law and wrongful death exclusively for more than 34 years.
Image Attribution – By Jetman7060 (Own work) [Public domain images], via Wikimedia Commons
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