Garage door safety is something every family needs to take seriously all year long – even in the cooler months when we’re spending more time indoors.
Accidents in the home are very common, especially if you have kids. And accidents involving the garage door have the potential to be quite serious, even life-threatening. That’s why it’s so important to have a garage door safety chat with your family periodically. It needn’t take longer than five minutes, and it could be the difference between having fun at home and a serious accident.
With that said, here are some easy conversation starters to ensure your family plays safe and stays safe around the garage door at home.
Practice patience around the garage door when it’s opening and closing
Kids sometimes like to play a game called ‘Beat the Door’, where they will activate the garage door to start closing and then dash under it before it shuts. Most garage doors these days are fitted with a sensor that will stop the door or set it into reverse if there’s an object in line with the sensor. Still, this is a game that could result in injuries so best to have a rule around running under moving garage doors.
The garage door remote isn’t a fun toy
Little kids love any object with buttons on it so they may be tempted to start playing with the garage door remote. It’s important to remind them about garage door safety and that the remote is not a toy. Educating your child on what the garage door remote’s function and purpose is is important. It’s never too early to start teaching your kids about safety!
An opening garage door is a no go zone
We’ve all heard tragic stories about people backing out of garages and accidentally running over small children. It’s heartbreaking. That’s why it’s important to chat to your family about opening garage doors. An opening garage door usually only means one thing – a vehicle is either entering or exiting the garage. If your kids are playing on the driveway it’s important that they’re aware that they need to move out of the area when they hear the garage door opening.
More garage door safety tips
Here are some other tips provided by Merlin, to help keep your kids safe around the garage door.
- When moving your car always make sure your kids are supervised
- If you’re the only adult at home and you need to move your car, play it safe and get all the kids in the car with you
- Suggest that the kids play in a safer area, away from the driveway
- Use fencing or gates to limit access to your driveway
Have peace of mind knowing your kids are aware of garage door safety
By taking a few minutes to educate your children on garage door safety, you will gain peace of mind and your kids will feel empowered to keep themselves safe around the home. We all need a refresher sometimes, so make this an ongoing conversation until everyone in your family understands the rules.
Have you had your garage door serviced lately? Regular services and maintenance checks help to further keep your garage door safe. Call Eastern Garage Doors today if you’d like our friendly team to come out and inspect your garage door.
