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Safe
& Sound
- Children
& Identity Theft
Thieves who steal identity information even prey on youngsters.
Take these precautions to protect your kids.
- Kitchen
Chores
Keep safe while cooking with these tips.
- Don't
Shred Everything
Take these steps to avoid nasty shredder accidents.
- Emergency
Calls
Not all emergencies merit a call to 911. Find out when to dial
those keys.
- Travel
Play
Plan ahead with a simple game to keep young passengers occupied.
- Take
the Keys
Perhaps mom or dad shouldn't drive any longer. Check out these
warning signs that may signal you should take the keys.
Identity
Theft: The Youngest Targets
Identity
thieves don't care that your new bundle of joy can't even say his
own name -- they've begun stealing newborns' Social Security numbers
right from the hospital, says MetLife Auto & Home's Matt Cullina,
who oversees the company's Identity Theft Resolution Service. Identity
thieves know that children's Social Security numbers often can be
used for years before theft is discovered. Although the crooks can't
empty a baby's nonexistent bank account, they can use the numbers
to gain employment, establish lines of credit and open financial
accounts.
Every child
is at risk. "There are all sorts of access points for stealing children's
Social Security numbers," says Cullina. "Take the doctor's office,
where those numbers may be used on the chart that shows who's next
for an appointment." Clues of a problem may be credit card bills
that arrive in the name of the child, or a collection agency calling
about accounts your child never opened. "If you suspect a case of
identity theft with your child, call us and we can check it for
you," says Cullina. "Preventive medicine never hurts."
METLIFE
AUTO & HOME Helps Identity Theft Victims >>
Our Identity
Theft Resolution Service can help you contact debt collectors,
credit reporting agencies and more. It's provided at no additional
cost to most of our policyholders in most states.
Home
Work: In the Kitchen
Get cooking with these safety tips from the National Fire Protection
Association:
- Keep handy
a multipurpose extinguisher, which works on all types of home
fires.
- Stock up
on decorative (but functional) oven mitts and pot holders. They
help prevent burns and add a festive touch.
- Make sure
that combustibles, such as towels and curtains, don't hang too
close to a stove.
- Never put
aluminum foil or metal utensils in a microwave oven. The arcing
that results could cause a fire.
Shredder Alert
Paper shredders are smart ways to thwart identity thieves. But from
2000 to 2005, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission received
50 reports of finger amputations and other finger injuries caused
by shredders -- most to children under age 5. To keep your child
safe, unplug the shredder and store it out of sight when not in
use. And never let kids operate a shredder, even if you're supervising
-- some are strong enough to pull your child's fingers into the
cutting blades.
What's
Your 911 Emergency?
Most people
wouldn't hesitate to dial 911 if they spotted a fire, but many other
situations aren't so clear. "Call 911 when there's a threat to life,
health or property," says Bill Kinch of the National Emergency Number
Association. Need some guidance? Check out these common situations:
YES!
- You spot
a dead deer blocking the road. A large obstruction in the road
could cause accidents and is an immediate danger to other drivers.
- You suspect
a drunk driver is ahead of you. You may help prevent a crash if
police can pull this person off the road.
- A storm whipped
through town and there's a downed power line in your yard. Call
911 because there's a danger of fire or injury to you and other
people.
- You just
witnessed a robbery. Call 911 so police can catch the thieves
before they hit again.
NO!
- Your new
puppy ran away. "This may be an emergency to your family, but
it's not a public danger," says Kinch. Instead, call the police
department's nonemergency number. Find it in the phone book or
call directory assistance (411).
- You want
to know which roads are closed for the St. Patrick's Day parade.
This is not an emergency, and no one is at risk of being injured.
- There's a
vehicle blocking your driveway. This may seem like a crisis to
you, but it's not a public hazard. Call your local nonemergency
police number.
Child's
Play
Keep youngsters
happily occupied during car trips by planning a travel scavenger
hunt. Before you leave, make up checklists for each child that include
items such as railroad tracks, churches, cows, a McDonald's billboard
or the "welcome" signs for any new states you enter. Let the first
person who completes the list choose the next pit stop.
When to Take the Keys
There
are certain things that are universally dreaded: tax season, dieting
-- and telling aging parents that their driving skills have declined.
Aging in itself doesn't cause bad driving, according to the American
Geriatrics Society (AGS), but many older adults are at higher risk
of accidents because of their medications or medical conditions
such as hearing problems, Alzheimer's disease and arthritis. The
AGS says an aging parent may no longer be a safe driver if he or
she:
- stops at
a green light
- mistakes
the gas pedal for the brake
- stops when
there is no stop sign
- is confused
by traffic signs/signals
- runs red
lights without realizing it o gets lost in familiar places
- changes lanes
without looking
Talk to a health
care provider or rehabilitation center for guidance.
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Auto
Discount Alert
Drivers
of all ages can benefit from a refresher course. So MetLife
Auto & Home offers up to a 10 percent discount
on major auto coverages when you successfully complete
the National Safety Council Driver Safety Course. It's
available on VHS video, CD-ROM or online.
*Available in most states to those who qualify.
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