If you recently moved into your first home and you have small children in your household, then garage door safety should be high on your priority list. Many children die every year from preventable accidents from garage doors. Garage doors are very heavy, and if they are not properly secured and their openers are not functioning properly, then they are very dangerous.

To keep your children safe around your garage door, follow each of these tips:

Tip: Don't Allow Your Children to Play Under or Near an Open Garage Door

One of the simplest things you can do to prevent injury or death from a falling garage door is to keep your children away from the door when it is open. Make it a household rule that your children are not allowed to play under or near an open garage door. If your children are riding their bikes or playing with toys in the driveway, then make sure the garage door is safely closed.

Tip: Don't Let Your Children Play with the Garage Door Opener's Remotes

Garage door openers are not toys, and your children should be prohibited from playing with its remotes or the control buttons located inside of your garage. Keep your remotes away from your children, and install the controls high enough up on the wall of your garage that young children cannot reach them.

Tip: Never Try to Run and Beat a Closing Garage Door

Sometimes kids like to make a game of pushing the button to close the garage door and then run to make it under the door before it closes. This is a very dangerous game, and you must explain to your children how becoming trapped under the closing door could kill or injure them.

Tip: Make Sure You Always Monitor an Opening or Closing Garage Door

Since garage doors and their openers do not always function as you expect, you should always watch the door as it opens or closes. By watching until the door has stopped, you can intervene if there is a dangerous situation.

Tip: Have Your Garage Door and Opener Professionally Inspected, Adjusted, and Repaired

Finally, if your garage door and its opener have not been professionally inspected since you moved in, schedule an appointment with a local garage door installation company to do just that. After inspecting your door and opener for proper functioning, the contractor will adjust the door and make any necessary repairs to ensure the door is safe.

For more information, contact local professionals like those found at AAA Garage Door, Inc.