Kidsafe’s top four tips to keep your kids safe these school holidays

It’s a beautiful time of year. The weather is warm, school is out, and the kids are on cloud nine after their Christmas haul.

The only downside of holiday-mode is that the relaxed, care-free mindset can sometimes slip into complacency, which is dangerous when it comes to household safety.

With the kids spending more time at home, and playdates a-plenty, the possibility of accidents also increases – especially around the garage and driveway.

At Merlin, safety is a top priority, which is why we’ve partnered with Kidsafe, an independent charitable organisation in Australia dedicated to the prevention of accidents and injury to children.

We asked Kidsafe to share its top four tips to ensure kids are kept out of harm’s way these summer holidays − while continuing to feel free and have fun.

Secure access to the house and garage

One way you can prevent children’s injuries on your property is to control access to the garage.

To do this, make sure to:

• Lock all internal access doors to the garage (and keep the keys out of sight)
• Keep the garage closed when not in use, and make sure all opening mechanisms (whether manual or automated) are out of reach of small children
• When returning home or playing outside, ensure your kids use the front door to enter the home, rather than running through the garage.

 

Remember: A driveaway is not a play area

 

For most kids, the driveway’s smooth, flat surface seems the perfect place to play, but using it in this way can lead to injury.

 

To keep the driveway accident-free, consider the following:

• Don’t leave your child unattended when entering or exiting the car
• If planning regulations – and your budget – allow, fence off the front yard to keep the driveway clear from play.

 

Adults need to ‘stop, look and listen’ too

 

Children naturally have an urge to play on the driveway and sometimes, despite your interventions, they’ll find their way there.

For this reason, it’s important you remember the lessons you’ve taught your kids, namely: ‘stop, look and listen’!

When driving in and out of your property – and the properties of others – drive slowly, keep a close eye on the driveway and peripheral areas at all times.

Enlist the help of smart technology

For extra peace of mind, install smart tech to aid in your garage and driveway security. Merlin offers the following accessories to empower you to live your best life at home:

• myQ Connectivity Kit gives you the ability to monitor and control access to your garage.
• Merlin’s Protector System stops the garage door from closing when the beam is obstructed or broken, preventing injury.
• A Wireless Security Keypad not only offers keyless entry to your home, but means the kids are unable to access the garage (so long as you keep the code to yourself!).

By introducing some simple safety habits and precautions – and Merlin’s smart tech – you can enjoy your summer holidays carefree, happy in the knowledge your whole family is safe and secure.

 

To learn more about Kidsafe Australia, visit www.kidsafe.com.au.

 

For more tools and knowledge to keep families safe around the garage and driveway, check out the Merlin Safety Hub: https://www.gomerlin.co.nz/garagesafety/

For more information about Merlin’s range of garage door openers and accessories, visit our website or call 0800 653 667.