Road Rules for Fools
Road Rules
March 11, 1998

Every morning I wake up to the radio on my alarm clock. By happenstance, it is programmed to go off just as the perky traffic woman gives the bad news about traffic in the nation's capital. A flat tire on the outer loop of the Beltway, an overturned tractor-trailer truck near I-270, or a fender bender on Key Bridge can cause havoc for hours in our congested city.

I have to admit that whenever I listen to the traffic news, I always think about how it will make me late, not about the people who may be suffering in the accidents. But according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I should count my lucky stars that it isn't me or someone in my family that's been hurt. A person is injured every 12 seconds in the U.S. in a traffic accident, while someone loses his life every 12 minutes.

And it's not just our love affair with our four-wheeled friends that can cause us trouble. Oh no! We love going too fast and crashing on our bikes and skateboards and motorcycles, and falling out of our boats, too. Basically, if there's a way for us to move (other than by our own two feet), chances are that there's a way for us to get hurt.

Last week in the Family Fool we looked at ways to keep you safe while you were snug in your little house in Home, Safe Home. This week we take a gander at ways to keep you safe from all your toys that get you places.