Ready, Set, Summer!
Summer witnesses a huge surge in personal activities. School ends
and parents start searching for leisure and recreational activities
for themselves and their children. The activities range from elaborate
vacations or summer-long camps to simply buying play and sports
equipment (or getting it out of storage) and renewing park and
pool passes.
Summer Fun's Dark Side
At the risk of being a killjoy, it's important to remember that
good, clean fun can also have consequences when things go wrong.
Using sports equipment such as tennis racquets, baseballs, baseball
bats, Frisbees, lawn darts, or horseshoes have the potential to
harm others. There is even greater harm posed by operating skateboards,
bikes, mopeds, go-karts, and radio-controlled cars, helicopters
and planes. An even larger area of concern may involve inviting
friends over to use your driveway, play equipment or swimming
pool. Basically, the potential liability comes from either you
having fun at the expense of other persons or their property,
or failing to take precautions that persons you've invited to
your residence (or other places) are safe to enjoy themselves.
How To Preserve Your Fun
The easiest way to prepare for your summer liability is to ask
yourself some questions:
- What can I do to keep other persons safe from my activities?
- Am I prepared to be responsible for people I hurt or property
I damage?
- How do I make my home and yard safe for fun-seeking visitors?
- Am I keeping my guests to various events safe?
While accidents happen, many can be prevented by making sure that
you and your children enjoy your activities in a responsible manner.
Operating bikes safely and in low traffic areas reduces the chance
that others will be hurt. The safe use of games and equipment
also make the likelihood of having someone injured more remote.
In other words, it's important that your family uses sports and
game equipment safely and appropriately. It also means that an
adult be around to supervise many activities when necessary, such
as when the fun may be more hazardous (street hockey) or when
young neighborhood children are around. Supervision is critical
for potentially dangerous activities such as the use of motorized
recreational equipment, trampolines, and swimming pools, even
small wading pools. It's also important to make certain that guests
you invite for camping or hiking trips are watched after carefully.
In many instances, you are responsible for the safety of your
guests when you bring them along to enjoy outdoor activities,
particularly boating or other activities involving water-related
equipment.
Home Inspection
Another way to reduce the chance of others being hurt is to do
an inspection of your home and yard. Do you have an adequate fence
(with secure or self-locking gate) to protect young children from
a pool when you're not around? Is your playground equipment well-maintained
and strong enough to support the weight of the children using
it? Is your yard and driveway free of tripping hazards? Are dangerous
items such as tools, chemicals and lawn equipment kept out of
reach of children? If you can answer "no" to any of
these questions, you're inviting trouble.
Insurance Plays A Role
When accidents happen, they may be followed by medical expenses
and, more seriously, lawsuits. You must be protected against such
financial consequences. Don't assume you have coverage, especially
when an activity involves motorized or powered equipment. You
may have to add coverage to your homeowner policy or even buy
special coverage for mini-bikes, mopeds, boats, all-terrain vehicles,
etc.
So make safety a part of getting ready for summer fun. It's also
smart to include a visit or call to your insurance professional
to make sure you have the right coverage to support a fun summer.
