Parents should raise child 'safety IQ'

NORTHBROOK, Ill., July 16 (UPI) -- Ninety percent of parents say they feel responsible for supplying their children with safety information, a U.S. survey indicates.

A survey by Underwriters Laboratories, an independent product safety certification organization, also found 90 percent of children in grades kindergarten through fifth rely on their parents for information to keep them safe.

U.S. children sustain an estimated 14 million potentially disabling unintentional injuries annually, John Drengenberg, director of Consumer Safety at Underwriters Laboratories, says.

When asked what their reactions would be in the event of a fire, 47 percent of children reported they knew to get out of the building immediately, but nearly half said they would put themselves in serious danger by trying to call 911 first or trying to find a parent or teacher.

"The survey demonstrates that more work needs to be done to prevent accidents and help prepare our children to know what to do whenever there's an emergency," Drengenberg said.

The survey was conducted by Kelton Research April 16-23 using the phone, an e-mail invitation and an online survey. The study has a 5.6 percentage point error rate.