Seat Belts Save Lives!

Car accidents are a leading cause of death and disability. YOU can prevent injury to yourself and others. Please wear your seat belt!
Myths and Facts
Myth: "I am only hurting myself when I don't wear a seat belt!"
Fact: Seat belts were originally invented to help the driver stay in control of the car. When you are in control, you are saving yourself, your passengers and other people on the road.

Myth: "My car has air bags. I'm safe."
Fact: Air bags are only 12% effective without the use of seat belts. They are made to be used together.

Myth: "I don't have to worry. I don't drive very far from home."
Fact: Most fatal accidents happen very close to home.

Myth: "I will be safer if I'm thrown free. I don't want to be stuck in a car if there is a fire or I land in water."
Fact: Most people who are thrown from a vehicle die after going "through" the windshield. Very few car accidents involve fire or water.

Myth: I am a good driver -- I don't need to wear a seat belt!"
Fact: Weather, road conditions and other drivers are all beyond your control. Even good drivers are involved in accidents.

"Health Matters" Fall 2004
Northeast Health Care Quality Foundation
Www.medicarequality.org

Nine Essential Coping Skills
By Ana Maria Lorenz, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
Parkinsonian People, Fall 2004

  1. Deal with your feelings. Paying attention to your feelings helps you to take care of yourself by understanding what you need or want. Name your feelings, accept them, express them, and decide what you need to do to feel better.
  2. Adjust your attitude. There is a connection between thoughts and feelings. The way you think affects the way you feel. Change negative thoughts to positive thoughts.
  3. Discover choices. Look carefully at your problems. Discover things you cannot change and things you can change and work on making it better.
  4. Accept imperfection. When things do not go the way you planned, it is okay to feel disappointed. Accepting imperfection can help keep you from being angry with yourself and others when things go wrong. Do not let it ruin everything else for you. Use some coping skills.
  5. Give yourself a break. Anything you do in life uses your energy, and energy is not limitless (I.e., when a car runs low on gas, it is time to stop and refuel). When you run low of physical energy, it is time to stop and refuel yourself, perhaps by eating or sleeping; low emotional or mental energy, it is time to stop and take a break or exercise.
  6. Take one step at a time. Being overwhelmed means feeling pressured. You may be a little frightened that you cannot handle everything. Sometimes feeling rushed to do two or three things at once may cause you to make mistakes or have accidents. You can prioritize and stop trying to do everything at once. Focus on one activity at a time. This helps you to relax and concentrate. You may feel less jumbled and focus on each thing more clearly.
  7. Be kind to yourself. Dealing with problems can be hard work. Kindness can be shown in the way we talk, the words we use, the tone of our voice, and how we act. Use gentle words, reminding yourself to stop and pay attention. Treat yourself kindly and be patient. Take care of yourself on the inside.
  8. Plan ahead. Take care of yourself before you get into a problematic situation. By planning ahead, you assure that you will have enough time, enough energy and have the tools to accomplish your task.
  9. Ask for help. No matter how good you become at handling things by yourself, there will always be times when you need to ask someone else for help. Asking for help does not mean that you have failed or that you are not as strong or as smart as you should be.

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