Fall Newsletter Edition - 2025

Check Out These Tips!

Ordering Helmets at School is as Simple as:

1. Look for the flyers and wristbands sent home with your child with our QR Code—scan the code to place an order.

2. Select your style and color of helmet. You can place an order for multiple helmets on the one form—pay online so no cash is going to school with the kids!

3. Your child will be fit for their new helmet at school on their Safety on Wheels presentation day!

We are visiting Grand Forks Public Schools this fall:

9/3: Ben Franklin 10am
9/4 Viking 10am
9/10: Lake Agassiz 10am
9/10: Phoenix 1pm
9/11 Discovery 10am
9/17 Kelly 10am
9/18: Winship 10am
9/18: Twining 1pm
9/23: Wilder 1pm
9/24: Century 10am
9/24: Lewis and Clark 1pm

Click to place order now

Construction Challenges for Back to School

Our region experiences a number of road construction projects each summer, with some of them carrying over into the fall and back to school season. This year is no different, so your route to school may be a little different this year than it was last. Here are some of the projects within Grand Forks that we are aware of, but please look for information from your school and posted by your city regarding any closures or changes!

When is Your Child Ready to Not Be In a Booster?

Gratitude to the Buckle Up For Life Organization

The use of car seats in motor vehicles for the protection of children is not a new safety strategy. In fact, one industry leader providing assistance with car seat needs is celebrating their 20^th anniversary of the program this year. The Buckle Up for Life organization, a program of Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s is celebrating their 20^th anniversary of conducting this important work and providing support to organizations like ours from all around the county.

Millions of Swimming Pools Recalled After the Deaths of 9 Children

About five million swimming pools, specifically above-ground pools, have been recalled for a potential drowning risk after nine children died in a 15-year span.

The impacted models include 48-inch and taller above-ground pools sold over the past two decades under the brand names Bestway, Coleman, Intex, and Polygroup, according to a release from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Click here to read more.

It is shocking to know that currently there are 57 million vehicles on the roadways that have open recalls on them. Did you know that there is a website you can check for recalls on your car for FREE? If there is a recall, a dealership will also fix your vehicle for FREE. But, you can't fix what you don't know.

Check out your vehicle's recall status at this link and assure that it is safe and reliable to drive:

https://www.checktoprotect.org/

School is Back in Session. Make Sure to Stay SAFE On and Around School Buses

Carpool Safety Checklist

Our lives seem to keep getting busier and busier and carpools can be a lifesaver! Be sure everyone is riding safe in every car they are in. Check out our carpool safety checklist before your next group outing.

Carpool Checklist

Tips for Alternative Modes of Transportation

Click for More Information on Being Safe in a Car While Pregnant

Back to School, Back to Sports. Learn how to keep your kids in the game by keeping them hydrated.

Nicotine Pouch Poisonings: Dangers Lurking in Small White Packages

Young children are curious by nature, and they often see and explore things in their environment that others may not even notice. For those with experience around young kids, you know that they learn about their environment by putting things in their mouths and they mimic what adults do, whether that be good behaviors or bad.

These trends, and a change in how smokeless tobacco is packaged, has led to a recent report noting an over 700% increase (YES< 700%) in the number of children poisoned by nicotine pouches. In the past, smokeless tobacco was packed in a small can, as a lose-leaf products that when disposed of, was spit out and often blended into the ground or garbage. Today, smokeless tobacco is also sold in the form of compact packages that contains the addictive nicotine product.

Baby Safety Month is observed in September each year. This is a time to raise awareness about the importance of keeping babies safe and to provide best practices and education to prevent injuries and accidents.

Thanks to funding from the Minnesota Safety Council, Jasmine was able to travel to the annual Kidz In Motion conference and represent the state as the Northwestern Minnesota Child Passenger Safety Liaison. This year, the conference was held in Madison, Wisconsin with a theme of moo-ving kids safely in car seats, boosters and seat belts.

The 3 days were packed with sessions all geared towards keeping kids safe on the road.

Fuel-powered devices can provide benefits to families when used properly. But they also underscore an important necessity in the home: the need for a carbon monoxide alarm. Carbon monoxide poisoning can result from faulty furnaces or other heating appliances, portable generators, water heaters, clothes dryers, or cars left running in garages. At its worst, carbon monoxide can cause severe side effects or even death.

Find Out More

Carbon Monoxide Summit Update

Carbon monoxide is silent!! It is colorless and odorless!! And, it is deadly! Recently, Safe Kids Coordinator, Carma Hanson, had the opportunity to attend the 3^rd annual Carbon Monoxide Safety Summit, a gathering of carbon monoxide advocates and experts working together to prevent these tragedies that impact people from all walks of life.

Read about the Key Take Aways from the Summit

Safe Sleep, Every Sleep, Every Time

Click on the images to read Ander's Story, the Safe Sleep Checklist, and how to repurpose cribs that are no longer safe for baby to sleep in.

A new Minnesota law concerning off-road vehicles (OHVs) and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) went into effect July 1. This new law is simple–if an OHV or ATV comes equipped with factory-installed seat belts, all occupants must wear them when operated on or within the right-of-way of a public road. The Minnesota Safety Council and Minnesota Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) developed a resource to help riders understand the new law: https://drivesafemn.org/additional-resources/

Please share with family and friends to help promote a culture of safe, responsible riding.

Enforcement and penalties:

•A fine of $25 per violation may be issued.

•Drivers are responsible for their own violations and for any violations committed by passengers under 15 years old.

Off-road vehicles are popular for both work and fun, but they can present some serious dangers if not operated safely, such as limited protection, high speeds, and stability issues.

For additional safety resources on off-road vehicles, visit buckleupmn.org.

RIDE SMART. HELMET ON. BUCKLE UP.

In recent years, the popularity of electronic cigarettes has risen. They have become an alternative or addition to regular cigarette smoking. What many people don't know is the danger that liquid nicotine can pose to young children.

Featured Car Seat: Evenflo SensorySoothe

Fuss happens… it’s natural. First-of-its-kind SensorySoothe™ technology is here to help — when you’re driving, when your hands are full or you just need time to retreat to a safe, quiet place with your teary, upset infant. Illuminate the car seat with the amber glow of a night light. Cue a mesmerizing light show. Play a favorite lullaby or mask background sounds with white noise perfect for babies.

While it can never replace your comforting arms, this groundbreaking technology can be a helpful parenting tool in stressful moments. SensorySoothe technology. This changes everything.

Starting at $299.99