Love the festivities that draw crowds to the city in the summer, but hate the traffic?  Get there smarter and faster-bike to avoid the wait in traffic.  There’s nothing like breezing past a long line of cars in the bike lane, but contrary to what you may think, bike lanes are not always safer than biking on the road with other vehicles.  Despite regulations intended to create safer bike lanes, many still fail to incorporate enough distance from the curb in order to leave room for open car doors.  This puts the unsuspecting rider in danger of a surprise attack by an unforgiving car door that can result in serious personal injuries.  Keep an eye out for signs that a car door is opening to avoid an accident; it can make the difference between life and death.  In particular, watch out for cars that have just turned off their engine and taxi cabs stopped to let people out. 

Familiarize yourself with the rules for passing vehicles and getting passed.  Knowing when you are expected to yield and when you should be yielded to is important for safely maintaining the flow of traffic.  This is just as important when it comes to passing other bikers; audible warnings are necessary when passing another bicycle and allow others to make the needed adjustments. 

While it is important that riders and drivers alike are aware of the rules for bicycles on the road, operating a bicycle does not require a license, so there is no requirement that cyclists have a minimum knowledge of the laws designed to protect them.  Simple precautions such as using a light while biking at night is one example of an accessory that is required by law after dark that can help to prevent accidents.  No one wants to suffer injuries that could have been easily avoided by following the rules of the road.

Check out Ride the City where you can plan your trip using maps that provide routes with the safest bike lanes and bike-friendly streets.

Don’t forget to tip the valet

Many events this summer offer a bicycle valet that allows you to leave your bicycle in good company and under a watchful eye while you explore the festivities.  It’s a convenient service that gives you the peace of mind that your bicycle is safe in all the crowds and helps make the trip even easier. 

Wrigley Field provides a similar service for every home game courtesy of SRAN and World Bicycle Relief.  The valet opens two hours before the game and closes one hour after the game is over.  Not only a great service, it also helps support a good cause.

Also check out McDonald’s Cycle Center in Chicago’s Millennium Park.  Its facility provides bicycle parking, shower and towel service, tours, bicycle rentals, tours, and even a repair shop.

At last, summer in Chicago is settling in.  The luckiest of Chicagoans will make their way to boat clubs and harbors to set sail on beautiful Lake Michigan. Days of sunbathing, cocktails, and water sports can make for a great trip, especially for a young boater. However, as carefree as a day on a boat should be, it can quickly turn sour if you get into a boating accident. Unfortunately, inexperience can leave a new boater high and dry when it comes to handling a problem on the water.

So, you have gotten into an accident: Now what do you do?

Even though federal law mandates reporting boating accidents, the U.S. Coast Guard found that boaters only report 5-10% of non-fatal boating accidents. In some states, failing to file a Boating Accident Report (BAR) is a misdemeanor crime. Thus, if you are in an accident, you need first to file a BAR with the nearest state boating authority, like your state’s Department of Natural Resources. Reporting the accident is especially crucial if someone is injured or dies on the boat or if there is property damage over $2,000. If a person disappears from the vessel or dies within 24 hours of the accident, the BAR must be filed within 48 hours to avoid legal repercussion.

What if the accident wasn’t your fault?

Boating accidents, much like automobile accidents, can be legally complicated.  An attorney who is familiar in boating and maritime law can help answer your questions and assist you in recovering any compensation for damages that you sustained.

A reliable way keep you out of trouble and in compliance with local reporting ordinances is to stay up-to-date with local boating laws.

Let’s not forget the bigger picture.

 A damaged boat will put a damper on your summer, but it does not compare to the devastation of an injured boater. It is vital that boaters follow general safety standards. In fact, only ten percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received boating safety instruction. And the safety issues that cause the most accidents? Alcohol and passengers who are not wearing a life jacket. Ninety percent of all fatal boating accident victims were not wearing a life jacket. What’s more, capsizing and falls overboard account for over 70% of boating fatalities.

A common misconception is that if you know how to swim, there is no need for a life jacket. Even strong swimmers at times are not used to an open body of water with currents and low temperatures – this is a lot different from your local swimming pool! Drowning occurs when you lose so much body heat that the energy depletion makes you too tired to keep swimming. Here are some tips to staying warm in the water:

1. Make sure you are not swimming too long; open water is chilly even in the summer.
2. Have blankets and towels on board to warm up after you hop in for a swim.
3. If you have fallen overboard, assume the H.E.L.P. (heat escape lessening position) by holding your knees to your chest as you rock back in the water.

When it comes down to it, boating is all in good fun, but you need to remember the basics of safety  before you step behind the helm. Do not operate a boat while drinking, ensure the boat is in working order, and insist that your passengers wear a life jacket. 

For more information, see:

Have a Safe Boating Weekend, by Brooks Schuelke – Austin, Texas.

 Think Safety With National Boating Week, Mike Bryant – St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Boating and Boozing. Beth Janicek – San Antonio, Texas.

Boating in Iowa, Let’s be careful out there!, Steve Lombardi – DesMoines, Iowa.

Safety First When Boating This Summer , Devon Glass – Lansing, Michigan

Be prepared for the boating season. 

Safety standards and licensing for boats deserve just as much attention as their on-land counter parts, but how many boaters are compliant and aware of these regulations?  To find out if you are up to date on boating safety and regulations, test your knowledge with a boating safety quiz or check out some frequently asked questions on boating laws in Illinois.

Another great resource for ensuring your boat meets regulations is the free safety check of your vessel that the Coast Guard provides to ensure that vessels meet state and federal safety standards.  Taking advantage of this service can be crucial by ensuring that the owner was using proper care in the event of an accident. 

For more information on boating education and safety courses available, check out the boating classes at Chicago Sail and Power Squadron or the free classes offered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Don’t become another statistic.  

Last month the Chicago Tribune highlighted some important statistics on last year’s boating accidents in Illinois.  Don’t forget-simple precautions such as ensuring that there are effective and properly-fitted personal flotation devices (PFD) for everyone on board can make a big difference and save lives.  In Illinois last year, it meant almost half of those who died might have been saved had they been wearing proper PFDs.

Additional risks are created when alcohol is present, and the operator of the vessel is legally responsible for ensuring that it is driven safety.  Even just suspecting someone might be intoxicated means that they should not be operating the boat.  Boats that carry passengers for hire may be held to higher standards of care.  It is important to be aware of what constitutes unlawful operation as much as it is to know your rights as a passenger.  In the unfortunate event that you are involved in an accident, contact an attorney with experience in boating and maritime law as you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Join the fun!

It’s easy to find a boating event to watch or participate in during the summer.  You can find a calendar of events at the Chicago Yacht Club, or check out the Poor Man’s Yacht Club for a deviation from the traditional boat club experience.

Finally, keep an eye out for the annual Race to Mackinac which begins on July 24^th the Chicago lakefront.  You can visit their website for more details. 

 Check out the links below for more information:

Have a Safe Boating Weekend, by Brooks Schuelke – Austin, Texas.

 Think Safety With National Boating Week, Mike Bryant – St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Boating and Boozing. Beth Janicek – San Antonio, Texas.

Boating in Iowa, Let’s be careful out there!, Steve Lombardi – DesMoines, Iowa.

Safety First When Boating This Summer , Devon Glass – Lansing, Michigan

This summer, as a response to the public interest in the controversy surrounding children being injured by balls hit off of metal bats, this blog explored the issue in “Do Aluminum Bats Create an Unnecessary Danger for our Children?”

It is clear that even as the summer months wane, the issue is still in the public eye. This week, Chicago’s City Council will debate a ban proposed by Alderman Robert Fioretti. The measure could ban metal bats in youth baseball leagues in the city of Chicago.

With the recent development of tens of thousands of Chinese infants falling ill from milk powder that contained melamine, consumers might find it wise to keep an eye on candy products produced in China this Halloween.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recalled Sherwood Brand’s Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate Coins, which were made in China, because they tested positive for melamine. The FDA maintains that the product was only distributed in Canada, but that they are still keeping an eye on the situation.

According to the Akron Beacon Journal, FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Kwisnek said the FDA has taken aggressive action since the melamine scare began in September to ensure the safety of all food, including candy, including additional inspections and testing of imports. She noted that few products containing melamine have been detected and no illnesses have been reported.

Many American candy companies have issued statements that their products are not produced in China, or do not contain any milk.

At this point, the best solution is for candy companies to continue diligent testing to make sure the products are safe. Despite such precautions, the fact that many American companies have candy imported from China is enough of a red flag to play it safe this Halloween and take candy labeled “Made in China” from their children.

This week the Chicago Tribune reported on an incident in which a 17-year-old girl employed in a sandwich restaurant in Palos Heights, IL was closing up the store for the evening at 9:00pm when she was abducted at knifepoint and sexually assaulted. She was the only employee on duty, and was left to close the store alone.

Diane Bush of The Young Worker Safety & Health Network, a group of professionals who advocate safety for teens in the workplace commented, “we’re concerned about having young people work alone at any time, but in particular late at night.”

Federal law restricts teen workers under 16 from working after 7:00pm (except until 9:00pm during the summer). However, there are no such laws for minor workers who are older than 18.  The National Consumer’s League, which works with parents and teens to set appropriate work parameters, suggests that minors 16 years and older so not work before 7:00am or after 10:00pm.

While such guidelines would have not helped the Palos Heights teen, they are an important starting off point to consider in making laws stricter for minor workers.  Perhaps the solution is restricted evening hours as well as regulations that do not permit teen employers to work alone and unsupervised by an adult in order to ensure their safety.

This summer, as a response to the public interest in the controversy surrounding children being injured by balls hit off of metal bats, this blog explored the issue in “Do Aluminum Bats Create an Unnecessary Danger for our Children?”

It is clear that even as the summer months wane, the issue is still in the public eye. This week, Chicago’s City Council will debate a ban proposed by Alderman Robert Fioretti. The measure could ban metal bats in youth baseball leagues in the city of Chicago.

It was encouraging news for workers and companies as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently announced that in 2007, fewer workers were injured on the job. The AP reports that the number of workers killed on the job annually dropped to a historic low in 2007.

While the news of overall fatalities is a positive development, it was unfortunately the case that some areas of labor actually had increased worker deaths. These increases were most dramatic in the record number of workers who died from falls and with respect to the rate of homicides which saw an increase of 13%.

However, across the board, it seems that our nation’s workplaces are getting safer. Both the number of workplace deaths and the rate of fatal injuries were the lowest rates ever reported since such a census began in 1992. Labor secretary Elaine Chao attributes the lower rates as “evidence that the initiatives and programs to protect workers’ safety and health, designed by and implemented in this administration, are indeed working.” (For information about initiatives and programs, see the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA))

Now that summer vacations are over, and children are returning to school, a safety reminder is always welcomed. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, (CPSC) has released a new guide of back to school safety reminders. While many of these are not groundbreaking, a yearly reminder is always a good idea to keep our children safe!

The report includes these tips:

• CPSC approved bicycle helmets. For a guide of which helmets are approved or best for which activities, this link may be helpful.
• Avoid Drawstrings. Hood or neck drawstrings can be a choking hazard, particularly on playground equipment.
• For budding soccer stars, parents should make sure the goals are safe, as unsecured movable soccer goals can fall and injure or kill children.
• Keep on top of recalled products through news sources and the CPSC’s website

Here are some other tips for back to school safety:

• A child’s backpack should be well supported and not too heavy. It should have wide, padded shoulder straps, a padded back, and never weigh more than 10-20% of the student’s body weight.
• Buckle up on the school bus if there are seat belts. If you school doesn’t provide seatbelts, encourage the school board to reconsider the minimal cost.

The following links may also be helpful: http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/augschool.cfm; http://www.rd.com/back-to-school-safety-tips/article11221.html; http://www.redcross.org/article/0,1072,0_276_5556,00.html; http://school.familyeducation.com/back-to-school/safety/37951.html