Family Safety

August 2007 -  Being a good parent is always a tough job. But it seems to be getting tougher, with the recent discovery that popular toys are covered with lead paint which could poison preschool children.

Just last week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of nearly one million of these toxic toys, including dolls of Elmo, Big Bird, and other popular Sesame Street characters. All of the products were made in China for sale in the United States. Click here to find out more about this serious safety hazard.

July 2007 - The family road trip is a classic American tradition. However, the fun can end abruptly if you or a loved one is injured in an auto accident while traveling to your vacation destination. Click here for safety tips to help make your vacation a healthy and happy time for your entire family.

June 2007 - Protect your child's health by permitting another adult to authorize medical treatment if you cannot be reached. As a general rule, a child cannot get medical, dental, or other health services, unless a parent or legal guardian gives permission -- it’s the law. This is true, even if you asked a relative, friend, or babysitter, to care for your children while you are away. Click here to learn more and to download a free legal authorization form to help ensure that your child gets necessary health care right away.

May 2007 - Most Michigan dog bite victims are children. With National Dog Bite Prevention Week approaching at the end of this month, click here to learn what you can do to keep your family safe.

April 2007 - Identity theft is a major problem. The most common method of identity theft involves stealing your Social Security number. Protecting your Social Security number is no small task. Social Security numbers are posted on the Internet and may appear in public or private databases. Compromised Social Security numbers of Michigan citizens are at the finger-tips of any criminal, ready to trade or sell for the right price. Your Social Security number is just a few mouse clicks away from exposure. Click here to learn more about your legal rights and to access a free database that lists compromised Social Security numbers.

March 2007 - In a deregulated industry, trucking manufacturers self-certify that their new vehicles and equipment fit the relevant federal standards, but are not required to test them before certifying them, often jeopardizing the safety and lives of innocent drivers on the road. Most National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards are just safety minimums, often not applying to large trucks. Click here to learn more about these laws.

December 2006 - Drinking alcohol and driving a car is a deadly combination. The danger is clear – in the United States someone is killed in an alcohol-related motor vehicle crash every 30 minutes. Four out of every 10 fatal car accidents involve drunk driving. In Michigan, drunk driving killed 360 people and injured another 7,400 individuals in 2004. Click here to learn more about how to keep you family safe this holiday season.

November 2006 - The State of Michigan regulates the quality of care in nursing homes and the Patient’s Bill of Rights in the Michigan Public Health Code includes important, life saving protections. Click here to learn more about this law.

October 2006 - With witches, goblins, and super-heroes descending on neighborhoods across America, we pass along these pointers from the American Red Cross to help prepare your children for a safe and enjoyable trick-or-treat holiday. Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment. These are some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun. Click here to learn more.

August 2006 - Our office is working with Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and a coalition of safety advocates to reduce accident involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. Approximately 5,900 pedestrians are killed by automobiles every year. Click here for guidelines that everyone can use to help keep pedestrians safe.

July 2006 - Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of death in the United States for children under 15 months. A child can drown in less time than it takes to answer the telephone. Keep your kids safe this summer at the pool. Click here for critically important pool safety guildelines.

June 2006 - Everyone should wear a bike helmet, but getting kids to put one on is sometimes a challenge for parents. Click here to find out the top four reasons kids say they don’t wear a bike helmet - and some good answers for parents to help keep your young bicyclists safe.