This summer, Safe Kids Central Ohio is continuing to provide families with "Slow Down!" signs. These signs are great for displaying in your yard to remind passing drivers that there are kids out and about at play, so they should slow down and pay attention to their surroundings. The signs are available for $4 a piece.

Never leave your child unattended in a vehicle. Seven kids have died already this year from being trapped in a too-hot vehicle.

We have posted before about the dangers of television and other large furniture tip-overs. Today, we wanted to share a link to the story of a mom who, despite knowing the dangers, thought, "It won't happen to me." Despite having a petite three-year-old and what she thought was a sturdy, heavy dresser, her son managed to pull the dresser over on himself. He was okay, but it was a wake-up call that she wanted to share with other parents. You can find Alicia's story over at carseatblog: Monkey proofing your baby proofing. Please be aware that this link is to an offsite blog and the opinions represented in other postings on the site may not represent the views of Safe Kids Central Ohio. Safe Kids & Safe Kids Central Ohio do not endorse or recommend any specific product.

Heatstroke claims the lives of several dozen children every summer. As parents, we hate to think we could ever forget our children, but around half of those deaths are by well-meaning parents who have memory lapses due to changes in routine. Follow these easy safety tips to help prevent heat-related deaths: *Have an iron-clad plan with your childcare provider - if baby doesn't arrive on time, they call you until the child is located. *Put something in the backseat that you will need at your destination. *Look before you lock - every trip, every time. Check that backseat before you walk away from your car! *Most importantly, don't fall into the trap of, "It couldn't happen to me." Even the best parents have moments of distraction. Make it your routine to check your backseat! For more important heatstroke safety tips, check out Safe Kids Worldwide's page on preventing heat stroke.

This week's Safer in 7 is something that affects all ages and walks of life: distraction. We all hear about the dangers of distracted distracted driving, but distraction in other areas of life is a concern, too. Whether it's teens crossing the road or supervising your kids while they play, being distracted has the potential for major consequences. Check out SafeKids' report on Teens and Distraction and be aware of distraction in all areas of your life.

Next Saturday, April 12th, is national SafeKids Day!! To celebrate, we will be doing a car seat check at the Grove City Wal-Mart, on Stringtown Road in Grove City, from 10AM to 1PM. In order to make an appointment for your free carseat safety check, you can call the Columbus Public Health car seat program at 645-7748 and we will get you all set up! Walk-ins may also be accepted, but appointments are always preferred. At work, play, or on the way - help keep your kids safe with safety tips found at SafeKids.org.

43 children died last year from heatstroke in a hot car. Zero so far this year. Let’s keep it that way. Please share these tips with everyone you know. http://bit.ly/1gy2XPR

This week's safer in 7 moves its focus to older kids - ask your coach about their training! Ask your child's coach if they have had trainings in things like concussions or sports safety. In 2012, over a million children were seen at emergency rooms with sports-related injuries. Help ensure your coach knows how to handle these situations, evaluate your kids, and keep them safe by following these sports tips from SafeKids.

This week’s Safer in 7 highlights the dangers of button-sized batteries. Small, round button batteries are found all over our homes - remote controls, key fobs, musical toys and greeting cards. When they are loose, they become objects the perfect size for curious fingers to explore and put into little mouths. This can unfortunately have devastating effects, as batteries can get stuck in throats and cause severe burns. Check out Safekids' informational page on the dangers of button batteries, as well as their tip sheet to get more information.

This week's Safer in 7 highlights keeping your children safe from medicines. Scan your home for medications that are not secured - pills in purses, vitamins on counters, and daily pill boxes that kids have easy access to. A child goes to the ER every 8 minutes for medication poisoning, and 90% of the time, it is due to adult medication. Look through your house from your child's perspective - what medications can they gain access to?