I received an email the other day from Daybreak telling me how important outdoor safety is. Here is what they sent me:

The outdoor season is rapidly approaching. Here are a couple reminders for safety:

• Teach your children proper outdoor safety practices
• Use your common sense when participating in outdoor activities
• Always be prepared for the unexpected
• Do not take unnecessary chances
• Do not be careless
• Think before you act

Reading it made me roll my eyes in disgust. “Really?!” I thought to myself. They just reworded the phrase, “be safe,” six times. What we need are some REAL safety tips for living in Daybreak. Here are the few that Mike and I were able to ramble off the top of our head.

It Doesn’t Take A Village, Moron

It might take a village to raise a child, but expecting the village to keep your child safe is moronic. WATCH your children when they are playing. Our backyards are too small to hold kids, so they are playing in the front yards together. Honestly, this is a GOOD thing as long as there is a parent nearby reminding them to stay out of the street, watch for cars and stay in the yard. Too many kids are allowed free reign of the streets.

Stay Out Of The Lake

It might be a man-made lake, but you could drown in it just as easily as any bed of water. Don’t swim in the lake. After last year’s ringworm incident, we aren’t even allowed to wade in the water. It’s against the rules because it could kill you or make you sick.

Avoid The Traffic Circles

I know legally you can walk or ride your bike along the traffic circles in Daybreak, but it’s idiotic to do so. We have so many visitors to the neighborhood who are unfamiliar with traffic circles. I have seen too many near accidents because of confused visitors on traffic circles to ever feel safe riding my bike through them. I do everything I can to avoid them by crossing at other areas or taking the trail that leads under the 11400 South traffic circle.

Stay on the Trails

It’s really easy to be lulled into complacency in Daybreak. There is hardly any traffic, so I catch myself ambling my bike down the roads instead of following the sidewalks or trails that were made for my bike. We have cars and city buses that come through our neighborhood, yet I see children sprawling our streets with their bikes every day without a parent in sight. Keep your feet and your bikes on the trails where they belong.

Leave The Animals Alone

EVERY time I take a walk around the lake, I see a child throwing a rock at a duck or goose. Anyone who has ever been bitten by a goose knows that it’s not wise to agitate them, especially if they are nesting. Not to mention the fact that geese, cliff swallows and many of the other animals in this area are protected by FEDERAL law. Teaching children to leave the animals alone not only protects them from avenging animals bent on protecting their young, but keeps you safe from the hefty fines attached to injuring protected species.

Drive With Your Eyes Peeled

There are so many children living in Daybreak that it has a “Lord of the Flies” feel at times. Flocks of children run into the street without a moment’s warning, so whenever you get in your car, keep your eyes on the road and surrounding areas. Additionally, we live so close to the wilds of the Oquirrh Mountains that our neighborhood is rife with wildlife. A deer through your windshield can kill you, so stay alert when you’re driving, especially if you take the back road to Bacchus Highway.

Water Makes Things Slippery

We all know that water makes things slippery, but every time a child falls at the splash park, it’s like we have to learn all over again. Whether you’re wet from the rain, sprinklers on the lawn or an intentional splash through the water feature at SoDa Row, if you are wet, it’s easier to slip and fall. Walk carefully when you’re wet and be mindful of how slippery it can get.

Put Your Toys Away

After living in Sugarhouse for years, I’m shocked at how lax people are with their toys. Adults and children are guilty of leaving expensive toys out in the open and sometimes even in the STREET. We have FAR less crime here than I dealt with downtown, but there is ALWAYS a risk that someone might walk away with your bike, skateboard or barbecue grill. Put your toys away and you won’t have to be the indignant one when a thief hits our neighborhood.

Have A Safe Summer in Daybreak

I have been living in Daybreak for almost a year now and I can honestly say that it’s a utopia compared to Sugarhouse. Even in utopia, however, there are dangers. I’m sure that we would love to have a summer without a single injury at Daybreak, but it won’t happen unless we are vigilant of our own actions.