10 Quick Fall Safety Tips

Today is the first day of fall so what better time to think about some safety tips we haven't needed to consider for months. Here's the top ten:

1. Be careful driving. As the days get shorter and the weather gets greyer, people, bicycles motorcycles, and other cars can be harder to see. Drive carefully!
2. Be careful walking and riding. On the flip side, if you are the pedestrian or bicycle rider instead of the driver, know that the change in weather and shortening of the days can make you harder to see by vehicles that are bigger than you (cars, trucks, semis). Be as visible and careful as possible when you are on the road.
3. Now is an excellent time to make sure your generator is in good working order, is correctly vented, and that you have some extra fuel stored for the appliance. As soon as the first winter storm hits and causes the power to go out, people will turn to their generators which need to be working both safely and efficiently.
4. Heating in general can be dangerous--make sure your furnace is in good working order, make sure space heaters are away from anything combustible, and ensure that your fireplace is safe as well (the chimney is clean, a guard is in place to keep sparks in the fireplace and not on your furniture, etc).
5. Be careful on ladders. Falls are a huge cause of accidental death and injury in our country and the fall season is when people are most likely to use ladders (cleaning gutters, fixing leaky roofs, hanging holiday decorations, etc) so be careful using that ladder!
6. Keep walkways and driveways clear. As the leaves start to fall, they can make a slippery mess on your driveway and other walkways. Likewise, prepare now for the below freezing days on the horizon--keep salt or sand at the ready to control icy patches where you and the family will be walking.
7. Have everyone in the family keep their awareness levels up. The start of school makes people excited and aware of whats going on, however once everyone settles back in the groove, awareness levels tend to drop. No one should let their guard down no matter how routine the day seems.
8. Prepare now for Christmas. This is more of a financial safety tip as buying loads of gifts at the last minute can either bankrupt you or give you some huge credit card bills after the first of the year. A better idea is to pay cash for gifts and spread the purchases out over the next few months.
9. Winterize your car now. Everything from changing to a heavier weight oil to flushing the radiator, restocking your car's emergency bag, checking the air in the spare tire, and making sure the windshield scraper is where you left it at the end of last winter will ensure a safe and prepared drive whether you are going across town or across the country.
10. Keep up the daily exercise regimen. Daily exercise will pay off in a number of ways: it lessens the number of falls that people experience as they age, it will allow you to easily shovel snow without needing a chiropractor afterwards, and you will be able to haul firewood and hike through the mountains while hunting with ease.