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20 Can't Miss Safety Tips

There are many things you can do every day to minimize your risk of a serious or deadly accident. Here are our top 20.
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In the Air… 

As a pilot, you know it’s safer in the air than on the ground. But aviation mishaps can occur. That’s why it’s important to remember these top 10 tips from AOPA Safety Institute to help avoid flying accidents:

  1. Go Fly! The best thing you can do to become a safer pilot is to fly. Be as proficient as you can be in whatever you fly.
  2. Always be a voracious consumer of safety content and learn from the experiences and challenges of others.
  3. Remember the top three priorities: Aviate, navigate, communicate. No matter the circumstance, fly the airplane first.
  4. Under adversity, fly the aircraft until it’s impossible to do so. Continue to exercise whatever control is available to you for as long as it’s available.
  5. Use checklists.
  6. Establish a network of people you trust to be a sounding board for your flying and your decision making
  7. Hone your stick and rudder skills so that you can put the aircraft exactly where you want it, under any conditions.
  8. Establish a “three strikes” rule: If you commit three mental errors during the pre-flight or flight, realize you are not on your game and stay down, or work to land as soon as practical.
  9. Get thorough pre-flight weather and frequent in-flight weather updates.
  10. Fly with reliable equipment and know how to use it.

On the Road…
Motor vehicle deaths have increased 17% over the past decade.1 To help keep you safer while driving, follow these tips:

  1. Buckle up, use child restraints and motorcycle helmets and drive a vehicle equipped with air bags. Nearly half of passengers killed are not properly restrained.1
  2. Call a cab or designate a sober driver if you’re planning to drink alcohol. More than 10,200 people are killed every year in alcohol-related traffic crashes.1
  3. Drive the speed limit—excessive speed is a factor in 27% of all traffic fatalities.1
  4. Put the electronic devices away. A recent study showed that driver-related factors, including cell phone use was present in almost 90% of the crashes.1
  5. Restrict teen driving. Some states have graduated license requirements that are reducing the risk for young drivers. However, parents can restrict their night time and highway driving any time!
  6. Consider upgrading to a newer vehicle with assistive safety technology. Vehicles with lane departure warnings, adaptive headlights, forward collision warning and side view assist can prevent or mitigate 10,000 fatal crashes a year.1

At Home…
Approximately 73% of all unintentional injury deaths occurred in the home or in the community.1 Here are some tips to help minimize your risk while at home:

  1. Wear proper footwear, reduce clutter on stairs, apply nonskid floor coatings and inspect ladders to reduce your risk of a fall, which is the 2nd leading cause of an accidental death at home.
  2. Clearly mark all prescriptions, dispose of them when finished, keep safety caps on and if using a prescribed narcotic, always follow your doctor’s advice. Unintentional deaths have increased 448% due to overuse of prescription opioids.1
  3. Replace smoke alarm batteries every year and install carbon monoxide detectors to reduce risk of deadly fires and accidental poisonings.
  4. Keep alert and make sure gates, fences and doors are secure around pools to prevent children from entering the water without your knowledge.

Be Prepared Everywhere…
Following all these tips will help minimize your risk of accidents in the air, on the road, and at home. But no matter how safe you are, an accident can still happen. That’s why during National Safety Month it’s also important to make sure you’re financially prepared if an accident happens to you.

Many people obtain accident insurance to help complement their life coverage and provide their family with an additional financial safety net. With Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage, you can obtain high benefit amounts for an affordable rate—and it’s easy to secure as the plan is guaranteed acceptance.

If you’re looking to boost your financial safety net with accident coverage, consider the AOPA-Sponsored Group Accidental Death & Dismemberment Plan. Not only is it affordable and easy to enroll, but the benefits cover general aviation pilots at all levels of flying, even student pilots (unlike some accident policies that exclude all flying activities).
For more information or to enroll visit: aopainsurance.org/add or call: 844.404.AOPA (2672).

Program Administered by Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC
In CA d/b/a Mercer Health & Benefits Insurance Services LLC
AR Insurance License #100102691 • CA Insurance License #0G39709

Group AD&D Insurance is underwritten by ReliaStar Life Insurance Company, Minneapolis, MN, a member of the Voya® family of companies. Policy form HP010GP.

12019 National Safety Council  

86913 Copyright 2019 Mercer LLC. All rights reserved

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