Safe & Sound

• Motorcycles: Safety, perception, vunerability
  Take the quiz to see if you're prepared to stay safe on the road -- behind the wheel or on the cycle.
• Cool Plants for Wildfire Prevention
  Check out these plants that add beauty and create protective fire barriers.
  
• Avoid Summer Scams
  Don't let a con artist make a home improvement project into a costly lesson.
• Keep Your "Sweet 16" Safe
  Follow these buying tips if you're shopping for a car for a teen driver.
• Pool Safety: Swim, don't sink
  Make sure the backyard splashes remain fun all summer long.
  

Motorcycle Safety: Smooth moves
Did you know that in the majority of multivehicle crashes involving a motorcycle, the motorcyclist is not at fault? "Drivers' perception of motorcyclists needs to be that those people are very vulnerable," says Pat Hahn of the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center and author of How To Ride A Motorcycle. "We don't have the benefit of air bags and seat belts, so a tiny mistake can have big consequences." Choose "true" or "false" on this quiz to test your familiarity with the two-wheelers that share the road.

ANSWERS

1. False. Bikers must use all of their lane to steer clear of hazards such as potholes.
2. False. Roads are slippery in the first few minutes of a rainstorm, so many riders pull off the road to wait this part out.
3. False. It's legal for bikers to stop two abreast at traffic signals for maximum visibility.
4. False. Unlike a car, a motorcycle's turn signal doesn't automatically turn off after a turn. A rider may not realize the blinker is on.
5. True. Because motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles, it can be difficult to judge their distance and speed. When you spot a bike, wait an extra second to be sure you know where that motorcycle is and how fast it's moving.

Wildfire Prevention: What's hot? Cool plants
One of the best wildfire-fighting tools is something low-tech: fire-resistant plants. At the Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, California, the Landscape for Fire Safety Garden (left) showcases more than 1,000 trees, shrubs and flowers -- from California lilacs to aloe -- that add beauty and create protective fire barriers. These plants retain high levels of water (providing less fuel in a fire) and contain no oil. "We show homeowners what they can do to make their houses more defensible," says Quail President and CEO Julian Duval. "Plants can't make your house fireproof, but they can make it safer."

Meet Mr. Con Artist
As the weather warms, home-improvement scams pop up like weeds. Be wary of a contractor who uses these shady tactics, says the Federal Trade Commission.

1. Solicits door-to-door.
2. Offers you a "deal" because he has materials left over from another job.
3. Recommends that you borrow money from someone he knows.
4. Tells you to get the necessary building permits -- a possible sign that this contractor is not licensed in your state.
5. Accepts only cash.
6. Requires full payment up front.

Teen Drivers: Safe (and sweet) 16
Is your teen dreaming about a flashy new sports car? Put the brakes on that idea, pronto! When car shopping for a novice driver, let what's considered cool take a backseat.

To choose a safe vehicle for a new driver, keep in mind that "larger" generally equals "safer." However, taller vehicles tend to be less stable and are more likely to tip over.

Shopping for a used car? You'll find driver-side air bags in most cars manufactured after 1989; by 1998, passenger-side front air bags were added. Side air bags greatly improve the safety of a small car.

Luxury cars are generally larger than average and may include advanced features such as parking assistance and back-up cameras. A used high-end model may be a safer alternative to a new economy car.

Home Work: By the pool
Get ready for swimming pool season with these safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

• Search smart. When a child is missing, always look first in the pool. In one CPSC study, 77 percent of the kids involved in pool submersion or drowning accidents had been out of sight for five minutes or less.
• Be alarmed. If your house has doors that open directly into the pool area, consider installing door alarms that sound whenever they're opened.
• Fence it in. Install fences around inground pools. (MetLife Auto & Home requires a six-foot fence, unless prohibited by a local ordinance.) Remove ladders and steps from aboveground pools when not in use.
• Hide the toys. Remove toys in and around the pool when no one is swimming. They can attract young children to the pool.

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