Sometimes it’s fun for your kid to let your kid do the honors of clicking the remote to open or close your garage door. But while the novel excitement might be fun for them, it’s also extremely important to make sure your children understand that your overhead garage door is not something to be played with. It’s estimated that around 2,000 people are crushed by garage doors every year, and thousands more sustain more minor but unpleasant injuries from their garage door. Here are some tips for making sure your children are apprised of garage door safety and don’t end up a part of these statistics.
Keep the remote control out of reach.
If your garage door is indeed remote controlled, make sure it remains out of reach from small children. If your door is controlled by a switch or a lever, be sure to explain to your child what it does and why it is important to not play with it.
Show your children how the garage door works.
Next time you do some routine maintenance to make sure everything is running smoothly with your door, use it as an opportunity to explain to your kids all of the different moving parts of the door. It’s easy enough to tell them they should be careful around a big piece of heavy machinery, but showing them the ropes of your garage door can further explain to them why it’s serious business.
Always take a second look before opening and closing your garage door.
This seems like a no-brainer, but sometimes we forget these small safety measures in our hectic everyday lives. Taking a second look may take a little time out of your routine, but can make all the difference in the safety of your family.
Install a motion sensor to the base of your garage door.
If your garage door system allows for it, consider investing in a sensor for the bottom of your door. It will detect any human or object that is obstructing the path of the door and stop it from closing entirely. Not only can this protect children and pets, but it can also mitigate the risk of any other important tools, appliances, or cars from being crushed underneath the door.