Safety Tips for July 4 Fireworks

UNITED STATES – An online article posted at charlotteobserver.com highlights the amount of injuries associated with use of fireworks in the United States and provides tips for staying safe while using fireworks to celebrate the July 4 holiday.* 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission indicates that more than 9,000 people received treatment in emergency rooms in the U.S. in 2018 due to fireworks injuries. More than 35 percent of those injured persons were kids under the age of 15. In 2018, five people were tragically killed in fireworks-related accidents.

Many state and local governments have placed restrictions on fireworks. For instance, North Carolina allows what it deems “safe and sane” fireworks, which include things like sparklers. However, even sparklers can easily cause injuries. A sparkler can burn up to 1,800 degrees, which is enough to melt metal. 

It is important to pay attention to the laws in your state and locale to make sure you are not in possession of illegal fireworks. Safety experts say that if people want to use fireworks to celebrate Independence Day, they should follow these tips:

• Refrain from using fireworks banned in your area;
• Consider attending a professional display, rather than lighting fireworks at home;
• Ensure that children are not setting off fireworks alone and keep children away from lighted fireworks;
• Always protect your eyes while lighting fireworks;
• Aim fireworks away from all people, animals, combustible materials, and property;
• Do not attempt to relight fireworks that do not initially light;
• When finished lighting fireworks, store any remaining fireworks in a dry, cool place and away from children and animals. 

Accident News is a driver safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Source:https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article232204727.html