Motorcycle Riding Tough, Riding Safe

Bounce House and Trampolines
When riding your motorcycle, it is best to wear a well-fitted motorcycle helmet. When you buy a helmet, make sure you’re wearing it correctly, and make sure that it meets safety standards.

First, try the helmet on. It should be comfortable to wear, but snug and tight against your head. A full-face helmet gives the most protection since it covers all of the head and face. Always fasten the helmet strap. If the helmet is not secured, it is not offering the optimal protection.

Did you know that all adult-sized motorcycle helmets now sold in the United States must have a sticker indicating Department of Transportation (DOT) approval and compliance, which means that the helmet meets certain basic impact standards? Don’t buy a helmet without a DOT sticker, as it may not meet safety standards.

Remember, helmets vary greatly in price and style. Buy one that suits you. A good helmet makes motorcycling safer and more pleasurable, as it cuts down on the wind noise and greatly reduces rider fatigue. Many motorcycle helmets are now made of light, new materials with many designs and colors to choose from.

If you drop your helmet onto a hard surface, or it receives a heavy blow, it is probably time to buy a new one. A motorcycle helmet is designed to absorb the impact of a blow, and a helmet should only do that once. If in doubt, get a new one!

Additional information provided by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation whose web site is located at www.msf-usa.org
Many residents have probably heard about the recent bounce house incidents, where inflatable structures went airborne with children still inside them! Two of these events occurred in May 2014 alone, in New York and Colorado. Unfortunately, these preventable incidents have been happening for some time, but have recently increased in number.

According to one study by doctors at Nationwide Children's Hospital, injuries related to bounce houses have more than doubled between 2008 and 2010. At least 10 inflatables collapsed or were blown away in 2011, injuring more than 40 people.

Bounce house related injuries include 4,506 concussions and closed head injuries between 1995 and 2010. Other reported injuries included more than 17,000 broken bones and more than 10,000 bumps and bruises.

Here are some important safety tips provided to us by the Child Injury Prevention Alliance:

                Setting Up an Inflatable Bouncer
  • Place the bouncer on a flat surface.
  • Remove all rocks, sticks or objects such as sprinkler systems, or other items sticking up from the ground before setting up the bouncer.
  • Make sure there is open space around all sides of the bouncer.
  • Place the bouncer away from tree branches and/or power lines.
  • If the bouncer will be set up on a hard surface, place a soft surface around the entrance/exit to the bouncer.

                 Safety and Injury Prevention Tips
  • Limit bouncer use to children 6 years of age and older.
  • Only allow a bouncer to be used when an adult trained on safe bouncer use is present.
  • The safest way to use a bouncer is to have only one child on it at a time.
  • If more than one child will be on the bouncer at the same time, make sure that the children are about the same age and size (weight)
  • Take off shoes, eyeglasses and jewelry and remove all sharp objects from your pockets 
  • No rough play, tumbling, wrestling or flips.
  • Stay away from the entrance or exit and the side walls of the bouncer while you are inside of it.
  • If the bouncer begins to lose air, stop play and carefully exit the bouncer.

Trampolines, like bounce houses, while fun, can create similar hazards and injuries. 

To prevent trampoline injuries, follow the tips outlined for bounce houses such as always supervise children when they are on or around a trampoline and don’t allow children under 6 years old to be on a full-sized trampoline.

A new publication published by the PA Chapter of the American Trauma Society called “What You Should Know about Trampoline Safety” is a great resource to help prevent trampoline injuries. The publication explains safe ways of using a trampoline and also explains the dangers of a trampoline.

For more information, contact the American Trauma Society, Pennsylvania Division by calling 717-766-1616 or visit their web site at www.atspa.org.

Special thanks to the American Trauma Society, Pennsylvania Division for granting Valley Ambulance Authority permission to reprint these important safety tips!