If you follow some basic safety rules, you can prevent many serious injuries.

Here are two checklists to follow to help keep you and your family safe.

To Help Protect Yourself at Home:

• Use smoke detectors. Remember to check the batteries every month. Change the batteries every year. You may want to use a reminder. For example, change the batteries around your birthday or some holiday.
• Lock up guns and ammunition, and store them separately.
• Keep hallways and stairwells well lit.
• Remove or repair things that someone could trip on, such as loose rugs, electrical cords, and toys.

To Help Protect Yourself Away From Home:

• Wear seat belts.
• Never drive after drinking alcohol.
• Always wear a safety helmet while riding a motorcycle or bicycle.
• Be alert for hazards in your workplace. Follow workplace safety rules.

Source: “The Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+,” U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, www.ahrq.gov.