Safety at home is an essential yet sometimes neglected detail of our daily lives. As National Home Safety Month, June gives us the opportunity to be proactive toward making our homes safer places to live. It can be all too easy to overlook the dangers present in our homes.

At best, it is a simple oversight, but at worst it could result in death or serious injury to you or your loved ones. The danger for injury is particularly relevant during summer as many of us spend more time at home.

The numbers involving accidents at home are astounding. The Home Safety Council reports that an average of 55 Americans die from home-related accidents and another 58,000 need medical care every day. This totals to more than 21 million medically treated accidents per year, according to the Home Safety Council.

Children and the elderly are particularly at risk. On average, half of infants that die before age 1 choke on small objects around the home. For aging adults, falling is the leading cause of death.

With simple planning, however, the risk of these accidents can be drastically reduced. Providing landings for the elderly and simply keeping small objects out of the reach of children are just two of many simple ways to prevent injury.

It is also important to remember that home safety risks can also be naturally occurring. The National Hurricane Center has already predicted an active hurricane season, so I urge you to take all measures to protect your home and your family. Preparation and knowledge can reduce the destruction of hurricanes or any other natural disaster.

There are many ways that we can work to reduce accidents in our homes.

I encourage you to visit the Home Safety Council’s Web site at www.homesafetycouncil.org to find more detailed information on ways to better protect you and your family and to use this month as an opportunity to be proactive toward making your home a safer and a better place to live.

Please let me know about any other issues of importance to you and your family by contacting me at any of my state offices or in my Washington office by mail at U.S. Senator David Vitter, U.S. Senate, 516 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510, or by phone at 202-224-4623.

Sen. David VITTER represents Louisiana on the U.S. Senate.