From Vincent Iannelli, M.D.,
Your Guide to Pediatrics.
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About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by Kate Grossman, MD

In addition to these deaths, millions of other children are injured each year from accidents, many of which could have been prevented.

Are you taking any chances with your children's safety?

• Is your child properly restrained when riding in your car?
• Do you use door knob covers and door locks so that your child can not get out of the house or into rooms that aren't childproofed?
• Do you have smoke alarms on every level of your house and near bedrooms? Do you check them regularly to make sure they are still working?
• Do you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home that has gas or oil heat or with attached garages?
• Does your child wear a helmet when riding his bike?
• If you have a pool, is it protected with a fence and a self-closing and self-latching gate?
• Do you have a child under 6 years in the top bunk of a bunk bed?
• Have you set the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit?
• Do you have a gun in the house that is loaded and unlocked?
• Do you have covers on electrical outlets?
• Do you have a fire extinguisher?
• Do you keep medicines, poisons and household cleaners completely out of reach of your children?
• Do you have wall anchors on your stove and large pieces of furniture that may tip over?
• Have you checked your house for recalled toys and household products?
• Do you keep toys with small parts out of the reach of your younger children?
• Do you smoke?
• Have you protected the sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces with corner and edge bumpers?
• Do you put sunscreen on your child when necessary?
• If you live in an older house, has your child been screened for lead poisoning?
• Do you have matches or lighters easily accessible in your house?
• Do you have window guards installed on your windows?
• Does your family have an escape plan in case there is a fire?
• Do you have a list of emergency numbers by the phone?
• Do you let your kids play with fireworks?
• Do you wash fruits and vegetables before letting your children eat them?
• Are your kids safe when they visit the homes of friends or family members? Have they childproofed their homes?
• Do you use the back burners when cooking and turn pot handles toward the back of the stove?
• Do you use an appliance latch to lock your refrigerator?
• Do you let your younger child play outside by himself?
• Do you leave buckets around the house with water in them?
• Do you leave your younger child in the bathtub alone?
• Do you let your child stand up in shopping carts?
• Do you use a harness when your child is in his high chair?
• Have you warned your children not to play near moving water, such as a canal or creek?
• Do you let your kids ride in the back of a pickup truck?
• Do you encourage your children to wear safety equipment when playing sports?

That is a long list of things (and it is not even a comprehensive list) that you can do to keep your kids safe, but it doesn't take long to practice them everyday. It just takes getting into a habit of being mindful of your children's safety. It can help if you just ask yourself 'Is that safe for my child?' or 'Is there a way that I can be doing this that would be safer for my kids?'.

When you read about accidents that kill kids, you usually don't hear about children drowning with a life preserver on, being thrown from a car in a car seat, or being shot in a home that doesn't have any guns in it. Many of these deaths can be prevented.

Remember that the more chances you take, such as by not using a car seat, having a gun that is loaded and unlocked in the house, or not having a smoke detector, the more likely your child is to be injured or killed by an accident.