This month we recognize the importance of garage door safety. Every year over 20,000 people suffer injuries from garage door accidents. We want to lessen that number by mentioning the most common accidents and how to avoid them.
Playing with the doors. Children sometimes view garage doors as a cool “ride”. They cling to the door as it travels up & down the tracks or race to see if they can duck under the door before it closes. Prevent this by explaining the dangers & enforcing it is not a toy. You may also want to include that the button to open or close the door is off limits as well and only to be used by an adult.
Beat the Clock. You would be amazed by how many injuries (over 150) people & a good chance their vehicles suffer from trying to get into the garage before the door closes. Although many garages have sensors that prevent a door closing if it senses something in the way, these sensors can get dirty or misaligned preventing them from doing their job. If the door starts closing, always make the time to hit the remote button again and wait till the door is fully open. It's worth the few seconds to ensure you and your vehicle go unscathed.
Don't get Pinched or Crushed. A garage door in motion generally stays in motion. Watch where you place your hands, fingers, feet...etc. Another area to remind kids to be mindful of, those tracks and rollers are strong! Although rare, sections of the garage door can become loose or undone leading to falls. Regular maintenance is your best defense of something like that happening.
Glass and Sharp Edges. One of the biggest areas of injuries...over 1000 a year. A broken window left unattended or a few shards of glass not swept up can cause problems for tires, feet and paws if you have pets. Always clean up broken glass right away, wear gloves and vacuum the area to gather up any small shards. A bump to sharp areas of the door or surrounding tracks & hinges can leave you with a nasty scrape or deep cut. We don't recommend taping or gluing anything bumper-like to these areas because it could interfere with the door opening and closing. Instead you could apply a small line of bright paint to alert you to these sharp areas.
Do It Yourselfers. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Attempts to make repairs to the garage door or opener system account for 1600 accidents a year. Best to leave repairs, especially the springs, to the experts.
Now that you know what to look out for, take some time to today to inspect your door and the surrounding areas. Let's all have a safe summer!