SUPER BOWL SAFETY

The Super Bowl is the most watched television event in the United States, and with so many families recently purchasing new televisions, Safe Kids is promoting National TV Safety Day on January 31 to remind parents and caregivers how to protect kids from the dangers of TV tip-overs.

Every 45 minutes here in the United States – or less than the length it will take to play about half of the Super Bowl – a child is rushed to the emergency room for injuries caused by TVs that are not properly secured. Yet, most families are unaware that securing a TV is an important safety measure. As a result, Safe Kids Worldwide is raising awareness about TV tip-overs and educating parents and caregivers about the simple steps they can take to protect children and avoid potentially fatal injuries.

Safe Kids Worldwide and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® are teaming up to make homes safer by urging parents and caregivers to do a quick check of their homes to make sure all of their TVs are safely secured and placed properly. As a part of this effort, Safe Kids and CEA encourage families to recycle their old TVs, which can be hazards if not placed on a low, stable piece of furniture.

Many TV tip-overs are a result of unsteady TVs that are not secured to the wall. Large and heavier cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs placed on dressers or high furniture can tip over and cause injuries, even death, if children climb onto that furniture.

Safe Kids Worldwide and CEA recommend these tips to help keep kids safe:

•  Secure Your TV. If you have an older TV, make sure you either secure it to a wall or place it on a low, stable piece of furniture that is appropriate for the TV’s size and weight.

•  Recycle Your TV. To find a location near your home that safely and easily recycles unwanted TVs, go to www.GreenerGadgets.org.

•  Secure your flat-panel TV.  If you’re replacing your CRT TV with a new TV, be sure your flat-panel TV is properly secured with a mount that has a safety certification by an independent laboratory (such as UL, CSA, ETL).

For more TV safety tips, visit www.safekids.org.

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