Safety Basics

09/09/2025

It’s baby safety and child passenger safety month.

09/04/2025

Tips to make sure your pet rides safely in your motor vehicle.

I don’t have a perfect record on this front, but I now have zero chill about it. Every single expert I’ve spoken with strongly recommended restraining your pets in the car.

07/28/2025

Swimming in lakes, rivers, oceans, and other open water poses hazards you won’t find in a swimming pool. These tips can help kids stay safe:

☀️ Use designated swimming and recreational areas whenever possible. There are usually signs posted regarding hazards and lifeguard schedules.

☀️ Be aware of “hidden hazards” like uneven surfaces, rip currents, and undertows, which can make swimming or playing in open water dangerous even for experienced swimmers. And talk to your kids about them.

☀️ Keep young children and inexperienced swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult. Make sure older children swim with a partner every time.

☀️ When entering unfamiliar water, it’s always best to enter feet first and swim in slowly. Encourage your kids to ease into the water before heading out too deep and to be extra aware of their surroundings.

☀️ When kids are in open water, make sure they agree to swim with a partner every time. It’s a good rule for when they’re just hanging out or playing in the surf as well.

☀️ Consider a life jacket. Beach time is the perfect time to fit your kids with a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket, which is a quick, easy way to help your kids stay more safe and to help you worry less so the whole family can have fun.

06/29/2025

Celebrate the 4th of July Holiday safely!

06/11/2025

Here's how to prevent a hot car tragedy from happening to your family:

🟡 Make it a habit to check the back seat before locking your doors.
🟡 Ask your childcare provider to call if your child doesn’t show up.
🟡 Place a personal item in the back seat as a reminder.
🟡 Store car keys and fobs out of a child's reach.

06/10/2025

Experts recommend five key protection strategies to help prevent accidental drownings with you water activities this summer:

Install pool barriers to prevent unanticipated access to water, especially in the 1-4 year age group.
Provide consistent supervision when children are in the water.
Enroll children in swimming lessons to learn water competency skills.
Use life jackets for all water activities.
Have an emergency plan in place, including CPR training.

Though it’s a topic no parent wants to think about, it’s important to understand how to help a child experiencing a water-related medical emergency.

06/10/2025

A child's body temperature rises 3 to 5 times faster than an adult's. When a child is left in a vehicle, that child's temperature can rise quickly — and the situation can quickly become dangerous. 👶🌡️

⚠️ Never leave a child alone in a car. ⚠️

06/06/2025

It’s CPR and AED awareness week. Do you know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to ensure that summer disruptions—like vacations, celebrations, and making memories—are safe and enjoyable? Immediate CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) use can double or triple survival rates.

05/13/2025

05/01/2025

DID YOU KNOW ❓ The temperature inside your car can be 50 degrees higher than outside — and deadly for a child left alone inside.

Once You Park, Stop. 🛑 Look. 👁️ Lock. 🔒

04/28/2025

🎯 Target's Car Seat Trade-In Event is here!

▪The event runs from April 27 - May 10, 2025.
▪"Trade in" your unwanted, expired, or damaged car seats and booster seats by dropping them in the designated box at your local Target store.
▪Scan the QR code on the trade-in box using the Target app to receive a 20% off coupon valid on a car seat, stroller, or select baby gear. The coupon is redeemable twice and can be redeemed through May 24, 2025.
More details: https://goto.target.com/Z6LaRq

Still need help choosing a seat? Check our recommended seats list for helpful information and reviews, and shop with us using the "Buy at Target" links. https://csftl.org/recommended-seats/

If we have helped you select a seat, we’d ask you to consider using a link from us to launch the website/app for your purchase. This gives us a small referral fee (at no cost to you) and helps support the cost of the resources CSFTL provides. We appreciate your support! 💛
Target referral link: https://goto.target.com/oqmrOO
Amazon referral link: https://amzn.to/4ikElhb

03/24/2025

Counterfeit car seat sales are on the rise.
A safe car seat has the following features:

-five-point harness strap,
-side-impact protection
-federally required safety sticker
-minimum and maximum height requirements
-manufacturer information,
-expiration date and
manual and registration card.

With low-quality or counterfeit car seats becoming more available to consumers, pediatricians play a key role in ensuring families can keep children safe while riding in a car.