Button Down, Buckle Up

Bostonist’s inner child is hoping for a snow day and some serious sledding time tomorrow. Alas, snow brings more to Boston than a white blanket and chilly fun. Yesterday the first measurable snow in the area had local news updates warning Boston of the slippery, treacherous roads out there. It seems that every year Boston drivers have to remember how to drive in the snow and ice. A rash of fender benders breaks out after only several flakes have hit the ground. Being prepared for winter will help, but it’s all about the common sense. Buckle up when riding in cars this winter, don a helmet when hopping on the bike (we also recommend rain pants for slushy bike commutes). If you remember your seatbelt, the inevitable fender bender is much less likely to be consequential.

The Boston Globe reports on two similar, but distinctly different, items in this morning’s edition: car crashes and a car safety warning. A news item recounted the death of two children and a man clinging to life in one accident, and another accident that claimed the life of a 22 year-old woman. The report mentions that neither the 22 year-old or the other two twenty-somethings were wearing seatbelts. Perhaps it wasn’t the winter conditions that caused either accident but seatbelts are a good precaution (and in most situations mandated by law). There was no mention if the two children that died on the highway (ages 2 and 6) were in car seats, or if the seats were installed properly. Also in the Globe today Dr. Sanghavi contributes a relevant piece in which he urges parents to properly install and make use of car seats for their children. As he indicates, EMT’s and Firefighters in many communities are trained in car seat installation. So are a number of people at the Boston Public Health Commission. A city funded organization which has many missions, one of which is child injury prevention. Check out their section on services. There are a variety of services available for reduced cost or free for underserved populations. Unfortunately Bostonist generally doesn’t reach those populations—so if you know someone who needs the help, kindly suggest available service.

Snowy Red Chairs Image courtesy Flickr User: Ron's Log