Insurance Insights ~ June 2000

Bicycling Popularity Back on the Rise

Bicycling has become very popular! Biking can be enjoyed by just about anyone and there are bike styles to suit every kind of riding. However, choosing the correct style and fit is just the beginning of your biking experience.

As a biker, you are as much a driver as anybody else. You have some special concerns and being a safe biker means knowing the rules and sticking to them.

Start by choosing a bike that fits. If your bike is too big or small, you will not have proper control while riding.

Keep your bike in good condition. Be sure to check your tires, chain, pedals, and steering for proper oiling and tightness. Make sure your bike is equipped with reflectors, and if you must ride at night, you need lights -- front and back.

ALWAYS wear a helmet. This is Pennsylvania law for children 12 and under, but highly recommended for all riders. Make sure you have an approved helmet with a proper fit.

Choose your clothing to be seen! Wear bright colors such as yellow, red, or white. These colors will stand out and help other drivers see you.

Know the rules of the road and follow them! Always ride on the right side of the road. Stop at stop signs and red lights. Use proper "sign language" to let other drivers know if you are turning or stopping. To learn these signaling signs, e-mail or call our agency for a copy of the booklet "Bike Like the Best."

This booklet, which is published by the PA Department of Transportation, will help you prepare to bike safely, teach you proper sign language for turns and stops and help you identify and respond to unique biking safety hazards. It's an excellent guide for beginning bikers and a good refresher for experienced riders.

If you have a child beginning to bike independently, request a copy of the brochure "A Bicycle is NOT A Toy." It provides safety rules, and includes a quiz and instructions for a Bicycle Driver's License.

By learning and practicing these safety rules, you and your family can have a positive experience and "Bike Like the Best."

Information taken in part from the PA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S BOOKLET "Bike Like The Best."

Pool Safety

You've likely heard the frightening stories -- a small child wanders into a neighbor's yard and drowns in their backyard pool. That fear alone should be enough to convince pool owners to make their pools safe. But there are other good reasons to do so as well.

For example, did you know that if one of your guests becomes injured in or near your pool, even if it's a family member or friend, he or she might be forced to sue you in order to recover financially? These "friendly suits" aren't a lot of fun, despite their name.

In addition to the expense of such "friendly suits," there’s an emotional toll as well. The injured person has to live with his/her physical problem, whether temporary or permanent, while you as the pool owner may feel responsible for it, especially if preventive measures were not taken.

One type of injury that's all too common, yet preventable, is spinal cord injuries (SCIs). SCIs in this country as a result of diving accidents injure approximately 850 people each year. One-third of these injuries occurs in swimming pools.

Diving accidents are the fourth leading cause of SCI in the U.S., following motor vehicle crashes, gunshot wounds and falls. The fact that almost all (87 percent) of the pool-related diving accidents resulting in SCI occur in residential pools makes it extremely important for pool owners to learn what they can do to prevent an accident in their pool.

The after-effects of a spinal cord injury are both devastating and costly. The majority of diving injuries result in the paralysis of all four limbs (called quadriplegia or tetraplegia.) The lifetime medical costs for an individual with quadriplegia usually exceed $1 million.

Here's a quick checklist to make sure your pool is safe from spinal cord and other types of injuries:

• Are there depth indicators clearly visible around the entire pool?

  Clearly mark the depth of your pool. You can purchase stick-on depth indicators from your pool supply store. Depth indicators were not present in 75 percent of the accidents that resulted in SCI.

• Is the pool and surrounding area well lighted during use?

  Install and use adequate lighting! Eighty-four percent of SCIs occurred in pools with inadequate or no lighting.

• Do you serve or allow alcohol to be consumed by guests?

  Forty-nine percent of SCIs occurred when consuming alcohol while swimming and diving.

• Do you supervise pool use?

  Do not permit unsupervised swimming. Forty-four percent of SCIs occur during a person's first visit to the pool.

• Is your pool secured with fencing to prevent unauthorized access to your pool?

  Install secure fencing to control usage. Ninety-three percent of SCIs occur to pool guests -- not the pool's owners.

• Does your pool have a designated, safe diving area?

  Educate guests about pool depth and the safe diving area, if there is one. Mark diving areas clearly. Ninety-five percent of SCIs occur when diving into less than 8 feet of water. It is recommended that safe diving areas be at least 9 feet deep.

The SCI prevention effort is sponsored by the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) through a grant from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF).

Detach Those Keys

When you take your car in for servicing, be sure to take your house key off the ring. A case in Georgia shocked the public when a woman went to a well-known tire company to have a flat repaired while she waited. Without thinking, she handed her key ring with all her keys on it to the serviceman and waited. What she didn't know was that the business had a machine that makes copies of keys. The business also had her address and phone number in the computer. One of the servicemen copied her apartment key, and two days later, entered her apartment and attacked her.

This was a reputable business. Fortunately, the man was caught a few months later. Upon further investigation, the police found that he had done this before. He is now in jail.

The moral to the story? Always remove your personal keys from the key ring when having any work done on your car.

INSURANCE INSIGHTS is an electronic newsletter published monthly by G. C. Weimer Associates, Inc. Information contained herein is accurate to the best of our knowledge and belief as of 6/1/2000. If you have a topic of interest for a future issue, e-mail us at info@gcwinsure.com.