SAFE HAVEN RESEARCH: A GLIMPSE INTO PARENTS’ MINDS REGARDING THE SAFETY OF THEIR HOME

The Home Safety Council conducted a national survey of parents in the United States to uncover common home safety perceptions and actions.

Home Safety Overview:

• Nearly 6 of 10 (58%) parents feel that there are actions within the home that could be taken today to reduce the risk of a family member suffering a home related injury.
• However, not knowing what actions to take (32%) and lack of time (24%) were cited as the two primary reasons parents reported for not taking actions to increase the safety of their homes.
• 92 percent of parents polled reported feeling safest in their homes.

Hazard Specific Statistics:

• Fire Safety Concerns: When asked what concerns them the most about home safety, 40% of parents surveyed identified fire as the greatest safety risk within their home, yet one third (33%) of the parents surveyed reported that they do not always store matches and lighters in a locked location.
• Children/Smoke Alarms: Nearly half of the families surveyed with children under the age of 15 have not tested their smoke alarm to see if their children will wake up.
• Water Safety/Scald Prevention: Nearly 80% of parents didn’t know the correct temperature setting (120 degrees) for their hot water heater and 40 percent of American parents report ever leaving their children in a tub unsupervised.
• Poison Control Hotline: Only 28% of families report that the poison control hotline number is posted next to every phone in their home.
• Falls Prevention: 75% of parents with children ages 6 and under reported not having baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs.

*Safe Haven: a national survey of parents’ home safety perceptions and actions, Home Safety Council (2006)