Safety Tips
Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, Safety Center medical director, talks with Bernadette Ramirez and her daughter, Isabella. (OHSU/Boone Speed Photography)
Whether you’re putting your children down for a nap or driving them to school, we have tips to help you keep them safe. You’ll find advice on topics including:
- Maintaining a safe environment at any age
- Preparing your kids to play sports — or just play in the yard
- Protecting them from the hidden dangers in your home
Keeping kids safe
About every four seconds, a child in the U.S. is treated for an injury in an emergency room, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Most of those injuries happen in a car, at home or on a sports field.
Most are preventable if you:
- Find the dangers
- Learn to prevent them
- Have the right products
- Teach your children how to be safe
Safety tips by topic
We have put together tips for almost any situation on a typical day. Each topic links to a page filled with detailed advice.
On our Baby and Toddler Safety page, you’ll find safety information about:
- Cribs
- Fires
- Poisons
- Car seats
- Safe sleep
- Feeding your baby
- Pacifiers
- Changing time
- Equipment
- Play time
- Bath time
- Kitchens and bathrooms
- Stairs
- Outlets and cords
- Windows
- Fireplaces
- Furniture
- Pets
- Other tips
On our Home and Yard Safety page, you’ll find safety advice about:
- Preventing falls
- Windows
- Playgrounds
- Toys
- Lawnmowers
- Poisons
- Guns
On our Car and Street Safety page, you’ll find safety tips about:
- Cars and car seats
- School buses
- Driveways
- On the street
- Drinking and driving
- ATVs
- Traveling with children
On our Sports and Recreation Safety page, you’ll find information about safety in:
- Baseball and softball
- Basketball
- Bicycling
- Cheerleading
- Football
- Hockey
- Scooters, skating and skateboarding
- Skiing and snowboarding
- Soccer
On our Water and Sun Safety page, you’ll find safety tips about:
- Sun
- Heat
- Swimming
- Life jackets
- Boating
- Personal watercraft
On our Holiday and Seasonal Safety page, you’ll find safety information about:
- Halloween
- Fireworks
- Winter holidays
- Cold weather
- Sledding
On our Safety When You’re Not Home page, you’ll find safety advice about:
- Baby sitters
- Emergencies
- Medication and medical issues
- Care and play
Kohl’s Sleeping Safe Program
The Safety Center has partnered with the Kohl’s Cares Program to help you give your baby a safe place to sleep. Eligible parents get training and a Cribette, Halo Sleep Sack and crib sheet. Find out more on our Kohl’s Sleeping Safe Program page.
Learn more
- Safety in the Home & Community, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Health and Safety Training, Child Care Aware of America
- 7 Easy Ways to Prevent Injuries and Keep Your Kids Safe, Safe Kids Worldwide
- Toolkits, Prevent Child Injury