Saturday’s fatality resulting from a collision between an SUV and a dirt bike is a tragic reminder about the added perils posed during a time of year that is supposed to be carefree and spent predominantly outdoors.
The accident at a Saugus intersection killed a Swampscott man and remains under investigation by police. The reality of summer pursuits involving swimming in off-limits water bodies, using illegal fireworks and even more mundane acts such as cooking outdoors, and driving all add up to summer-related dangers.
Drivers, knowing school is no longer in session, are less apt in the summer to slow down in neighborhoods where school zones are posted. The result all too often is potentially injurious or fatal vehicle and pedestrian accidents.
Children rush out of schools into summer and jump on bicycles, skateboards, and any number of unsafe motorized contraptions. Although neighborhood kids playing ball or Keep Away on a residential street is a sight that has largely gone the way of drive-in movies, more children are outside during the summer and the potential for accidents increases.
Drownings often lead the list of avoidable summertime tragedies and the Lynn Public Schools teamed up with the Lynn YMCA to host water safety seminars for youth and adults. These commendable efforts will save lives but, sadly, too many children and adults do not know how to swim.
Drowning deaths occur in residential and public swimming pools where the inability to swim and insufficient adult diligence create a deadly combination. Outdoor fire-related injuries and deaths are linked too often to alcohol consumption and bad decisions made in the proximity of water, open fires and fireworks.
Summer is meant to be a fun time with a slightly slower pace than the fall and winter months dominated by school and absent of extended vacations. But a fine line of common sense and split-second decision making often separates the difference between avoiding an accident and enduring a tragedy.
With the July 4th holiday over and summer weeks stretching ahead, now is a good time for police and fire departments to remind residents individually and through public relations campaigns about outdoor fire, swimming, driving and youth supervision safety. Just a couple of weeks spent this month on pulling over drivers and talking to kids flocking to ponds or speeding around on bikes could save a life or keep someone out of the hospital.
A public relations campaign built around a few billboards could provide a simple checklist reminding parents and drivers to be extra-vigilant around swimming pools and ensure kids wear bicycle helmets.
Summer isn’t meant to be spent on a couch playing a videogame but warm weather pastimes should be prudently enjoyed far away from a jail cell or a hospital bed.