July 2018 Newsletter

What's on your wish list? News on Walking/Bicycling State Support, CPS, Heatstroke Prevention, Opioid Misuse, Risky Driving and more

What's on your wish list for educational materials? We’re starting to plan new safety and health education materials for the rest of 2018 and 2019 and we'd love to hear from you.

We’ve made it easy with this 5-question survey that should take about 2 minutes. Please click here.

There's still time to take advantage of our July specials: 1) 10% off CPS height charts; 2) 15% off Paint Activity Sheets; and 3) 10% off Heatstroke Items, including the new Pet Safety thermometer cling that reminds people not to leave their dogs and animals in the car.

Wishing you a cool and refreshing Summer,

--Wendy and the I’m Safe! team

NEWS

	How does your state score on support for walking, bicycling and active kids? ... "States play a crucial role in promoting physical activity," notes a new report from the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. Their state report cards evaluate each state on 27 indicators across four core topic areas. Read more here.
	So when is it legal to break into a car to save a child or a dog from heatstroke? ... A shocking number of children have already been left in hot vehicles this year - at least 21 have died as a result – and summer is far from over. See Kids ‘n Cars’ list of “Children Left Unattended in Vehicle Laws by State” here, and a list of state laws regarding animals left in hot cars here. National Heatstroke Prevention Day is July 31.
	September is Child Passenger Safety Month ... Seat Check Saturday is September 29. Need affordable, customized items? For example, handouts for parents, banner displays or activity booksfor kids? Email us for a complimentary estimate; we want to make the preparations easier so you can focus on your people, not on the headache of last minute planning.
	Adult interventions are not working to reduce accidental opioid ingestion by children, according to Matt Hall, co-author of a recent study on "Opioid-Related Critical Care Resource Use in US Children's Hospitals." Opioid-related ingestions increased significantly between 2004 and 2015, according to the study. Of the 3,647 children who were hospitalized, 43% required PICU admission, an increase of 35%. Read more here. A new, federal anti-opioid ad campaign has been added to the existing anti-tobacco truth campaign, targeting youth with videos such as Amy’s Story and raising awareness that “Dependence on prescription opioids can happen after just five days.”
	Drowning is the second leading cause of death for young children ... Between 800 and 900 children drown every year in the United States, most often in home swimming pools, according to the CDC. Read more here. The water-watcher tags to the right can be worn on the wrist to remind parents of the need for close supervision of young children around water. (Note: These are new and are not on our web site yet. For more information, email Jamie here.)
	Teen crash risk highest in the first three months after getting driver's licenses ... An NIH study found that teens are "eight times more likely to be involved in a collision or near miss during the first three months after getting a driver's license, compared to the previous three months on a learner's permit." The NIH used software and cameras to monitor the teens' driving behavior and found an abrupt increase in risk-taking with the onset of independent driving. Read more here.
	Legalizing marijuana linked to increases in accident claims ... An analysis of collision claims in three states found that recreational marijuana use has resulted in 3% more collision claims than would have been expected, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute. Learn more here. Check out our “State Specific” Marijuana Pledge Card and other impaired driving prevention products.
	Youth risk behavior trends released by the CDC ... The CDC has released the results of a Youth Risk Behavior survey repeated over the course of 10 years. While much is going in the right direction, depression and suicidal ideation have been heading in the wrong direction. Attempted suicide has gone down since 2015 but is still up from 2007. Bullying has not increased much according to the students – adults just seem to be more aware of its occurrence. I'm Safe! Bullying Prevention materials can be viewed here.
	How do tech leaders limit their children's screen time? ... Interviews with ten tech executives reveal challenges similar to those of every other parent faces when it comes to managing technology. Read more here.