Washington, DC – Every 45 minutes here in the United States, a child is rushed to the emergency room for injuries caused by televisions that are not appropriately secured. To help prevent these TV tip-overs, Safe Kids Worldwide is launching National TV Safety Day on February 1, 2014, the day before Super Bowl XLVIII. As families prepare for this must see event, National TV Safety Day raises awareness about TV tip-overs and educates parents and caregivers on the simple things they can do to make their homes safer.
To learn TV safety, visit our tips page.
Safe Kids Worldwide and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® are teaming up to make homes safer by encouraging families to recycle their old TVs. As part of this effort, Safe Kids and CEA urge parents and caregivers to do quick checks of their homes and make sure all of their TVs are safely secured and placed properly. Larger and heavier cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs placed on dressers or high furniture can tip over and cause serious injuries, even death, if children climb onto the furniture.
“We’re asking families to add one important, and perhaps overlooked, task to their Super Bowl prep,” said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Take a look around your home. Can the flat panel TV tip over? Have you moved the old CRT to a bedroom dresser where it rarely gets watched? On National TV Safety Day, recycle that old TV. Your home will be safer for it.”
Safe Kids encourages families to include TV safety as part of their childproofing plans by placing CRT TVs on low, stable pieces of furniture. If families no longer use their CRT TV, consider recycling it. For families with flat panel televisions, Safe Kids recommends mounting TVs to the wall to reduce the risk of TV tip-overs.
“Major sporting events, including the upcoming Super Bowl, drive significant TV sales every year,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. “As these new TVs enter the home, families deciding what to do with their old CRT TVs should visit a local recycling location to properly dispose of the TV and get it out of the home.”
Safe Kids and CEA recommend these top tips to help keep kids safe and improve the environment.
Top Tips for Parents
- Secure your TV. If you have an older CRT TV, make sure you place it on a low, stable piece of furniture that is appropriate for the TV’s size and weight.
- Recycle your TV. To find a location to safely and easily recycle unwanted TVs, go to www.GreenerGadgets.org.
- If you’re replacing your CRT TV with a new TV, be sure it’s properly secured.
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About Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations dedicated to providing parents and caregivers with practical and proven resources to protect kids from unintentional injuries, the number one cause of death to children in the United States. Throughout the world, almost one million children die of an injury each year, and every one of these tragedies is preventable. Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 600 coalitions in the U.S. and in 23 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings and more. Since 1988, Safe Kids has helped reduce the U.S. childhood death rate from unintentional injury by 55 percent. Working together, we can do much more for kids everywhere. Join our effort at safekids.org.
About CEA
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is the technology trade association representing the $203 billion U.S. consumer electronics industry. More than 2,000 companies enjoy the benefits of CEA membership, including legislative advocacy, market research, technical training and education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CEA also owns and produces the International CES – The Global Stage for Innovation. All profits from CES are reinvested into CEA’s industry services. Find CEA online at www.CE.org.