Garage doors are a lot safer than they used to be. However, parents should still be watchful when their children are near them. All parents want to protect their children from danger. You put up a fence around your swimming pool and lock the gate when not in use. When the pool is in use, you or another adult watch children closely. You teach your children to keep their distance from the stove top when you are cooking but how much do you think about the fact that if garage doors are not routinely inspected and well maintained, they too can pose a significant danger? There are life-saving safety features installed on garage doors today like automatic “electronic eye” sensors have made garage doors much safer. However, malfunction or disrepair can still lead to injury.
Most Common Garage Door Injuries for Children
The most common garage door injury for children is getting their fingers caught between the garage door panels as it moves. This can result in a pretty serious injury. The second most common injury is getting trapped under the door as it closes.
How to Prevent Garage Door Accidents
Luckily it’s fairly easy to keep children safe from harm concerning your garage door. The most important thing you can do is keep an eye on them when they are near the door. It’s a good idea to teach children to stay clear away from the garage door at all times. Just like the swimming pool and hot stove top example; you allow children near the garage door with the supervision of an adult and teach them to stay away any other time. It is also important to educate them on the dangers of garage doors. It is also imperative you keep up on routine maintenance. An inspection can detect problems early that could result in malfunctions and accidents if left unchecked. If any garage door repairs are needed to ensure your garage door is properly functioning, hire a professional garage door company like Quality Garage Door Repair to undertake them.
Be Cautious When Garage Door is Closing
You can set an example for your children and others by keeping your distance when the garage door is opening and closing. Model good behavior by never attempting to duck under the garage door when it is closing. Even with electric eye sensors that most garage doors have today, they can always malfunction and close on someone – especially children as they are smaller than adults and most likely cannot be seen as easily by the sensors.
Keep Garage Door in Good Repair
As mentioned before, electric eye sensors are designed to detect obstacles and stop from closing on them. If you don’t already have an electric eye sensor installed on your door, it is a good idea to do so. Keep your garage door properly maintained and never do repairs yourself unless you’re an expert. It could easily result in injury to yourself or others. Remember your children’s safety depends on a properly functioning garage door!
