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Police Safety Tips
What is Aggressive Driving?
Aggressive driving is operating a motor vehicle in an unsafe and hostile manner without regard for the safety of others. Often it is caused by frustration, impatience and irritability. Drivers in this state of mind sometimes speed, follow other vehicles too closely, change lanes frequently or abruptly without signaling, pass on the shoulder or other unpaved areas next to the roadway, and in general drive recklessly. They sometimes harass other motorists which can result in altercations on the roadway - a dangerous situation.
Stay calm and clear headed while getting to your destination:
Allow plenty of time to reach your destination on schedule. Change your schedule so you don't have to drive during rush hours. If you're running late, call ahead. Then relax. Don't drive when you are angry, upset or overly tired. Get comfortable. Enjoy listening to music and avoid anything that might make you feel anxious. Practice good posture. Sit back in your seat, loosen your grip on the steering wheel, and don't clench your teeth. Remember, you never know the state of mind of other drivers. Give others the benefit of the doubt; be polite, courteous and forgiving.
If confronted by an aggressive driver:
Stay calm and relaxed. Try to get out of the vicinity of the aggressive driver. Do not make eye contact or otherwise communicate with the person. Ignore harassing gestures and do not return them. Do not challenge an aggressive driver by speeding up or attempting to hold your position in your travel lane. Wear a seat belt and encourage your passengers to do the same. Report aggressive drivers to local law enforcement. Provide a description of the vehicle, license plate number, location and direction of travel. If an aggressive driver is involved in a crash, stop a safe distance from the crash scene. When police arrive, report the driving behavior you witnessed. Most importantly: Remember, you are responsible for your own behavior.
If you are a parent, grandparent, childcare provider or a friend of someone who has children, look around your home to see if it can be made safer for little ones.
Here is a checklist to get you started:
- Cover all used or unused electrical outlets. Covers designed for outlets are available at hardware and household stores.
- Pick up and put away small objects such as coins, small doll shoes, marbles and paper clips.
- Never give a child under the age of 3 a balloon. Balloons are easy for small children to choke on.
- Be sure the plants in your home are not poisonous. If you are uncertain about a certain type of plant, check with a local nursery or poison control center.
- Look for any sharp edges on furniture, especially corners of glass-top tables and other pieces. Furniture should not be easily turned over.
- Look for anything, such as electrical cords, loose rugs or toys, which could cause a fall.
Some things should be locked up and keep out of reach and sight:
- Guns and ammunition, stored in separate locations.
- Cleaning supplies, medication, shampoo and cosmetics.
- Knives, tools, pencils, boxes with serrated edges and other sharp objects.
- Matches and cigarette lighters.
- Plastic bags.
Keep your children safe while using the internet.
Children today have a window on the world through the use of computers. While the worldwide web, or Internet, is a wonderful resource for homework assignments and other school projects, parents need to be actively involved in their children's use of this tool.
There are some risks to children while "surfing the web." Although the most popular web sites for children are those, which offer free computer games, some games are inappropriate for younger children because they contain violence and objectionable graphics. Some games involve gambling, which is prohibited by law for children.
Children may also accidentally come across inappropriate Web sites while searching for reference material. Among those are chat rooms. Chat rooms are designed to allow people to meet and communicate online. Some chat rooms are private, allowing only certain people to participate in the conversation. Child predators, who use the device to get children involved in a dialogue, commonly monitor chat rooms.
Rules parents should set for their children:
- Do not give personal information to anyone.
- Do not agree to meet anyone in person you have met online.
- If anyone uses inappropriate language or asks you to do something you know is wrong, sign off quickly and tell your parents.
- Know that people you talk to online are not always who they say they are.
Tips for parents:
- Place the computer where the entire family has access and it is easily monitored by parents.
- Provide your child with a screen name that does not reveal information about the child's age or real name.
- Check your child's e-mail for inappropriate content.
- Learn about parental control software that is available to restrict your child's use online.
- Spend time online together. Make sure your children understand the potential dangers and how to avoid them.
There is nothing more precious than a newborn. As babies develop, so do their senses of wonder and curiosity.
Here are a few ways you can protect your infant:
- Make sure the space between crib bars is no more than 2 3/8 inches.
- Cribs should not have knobs or posts that stick up more than a half-inch. If clothing catches on these the baby could choke or suffocate.
- Make sure you can place two fingers between the mattress and the crib frame on all sides.
- Crib rails should require two movements to be moved down. This ensures an infant cannot put it down accidentally while playing.
- Do not hang toys in the crib.
- Place the crib away from electrical outlets, even if they are covered.
- Check for loose nuts and bolts on the crib.
- Make sure the mesh on the playpen is small enough that a button cannot get caught in the holes. Holes should be less than one-quarter inch.
- Do not leave small objects lying about.
- Walkers are considered a risk, but if you allow your baby to use one, stay with the child at all times.
- Be aware that anything painted more than 20 years ago might have lead in it. Lead in paint causes serious nerve and brain damage to infants and small children.
Here are some tips for keeping your children safe while playing outdoors:
- Play areas should be fenced with no access to roads or bodies of water.
- Play areas should not have places where children can become trapped, such as old refrigerators, cars or under buildings.
- Play areas should not have piles of firewood, debris or anything that attracts snakes, bugs or other vermin.
- Play areas should be void of electrical equipment, such as air conditioners, and lawn equipment, such as mowers.
- Play areas should be checked for poisonous plants.
- Play equipment, such as swings, should be checked for sharp edges or bolts sticking out and should not have any V-shaped bars, which might trap a child by the foot or neck. S-hooks on the equipment should be completely closed. Distance between fences and the front and back of swings, slides or other playground equipment should be far enough that the child will not be injured when jumping off.
- Keep pets and trash out of sandboxes, and keep them covered to avoid heat buildup.
- Never leave a small child unattended.
- Parent's Guide to Fentanyl: This comprehensive guide equips parents with valuable information, including tips, warning signs, and helpful videos/articles. It empowers parents to protect their children from the dangers of fentanyl and make informed decisions regarding substance use.
- Protecting Children From Online Drug Dealers: This resource provides essential tools to safeguard children, including the "Emoji code" to identify online drug dealing, insights into the dark web, and other online safety measures.
When you answer the phone and the person on the other end has a deal that is too good to be true, it is just that.
Consumers lose an estimated $100 billion annually to scams and frauds, $40 billion of which is perpetrated over the telephone and through the mail.
Protect yourself:
- Never give personal information, such as credit card, bank account or Social Security numbers, to someone calling you on the phone.
- Never agree to send a stranger a check or cash by overnight delivery, wire or courier.
- Be careful returning phone calls to those wishing to sell or give you something. Calls made to 900 numbers can be very costly.
- Request mailed information from charities to which you might consider making a donation.
- Do not enter contests that require money sent with the entry.
If you feel you are the victim of consumer fraud, contact the Venice Police Department at (941) 486-2444.