Safety Tips for College: Dorm Room Accidents in New York

The last week of August for many is the last week of summer vacation this year for many school age children.  Many parents take the time to teach their kids about school safety but there is another group that needs to be addressed and that is children heading off to college.

Dorm rooms are the choice for many heading off to college and for their parents alike because they feel as if there is some type of safety and supervision when compared with living on their own which may be true in some cases but the reality is there are still serious dangers that lurk around colleges and in dorm rooms.

Some common things that can happen in dorm rooms that could potentially cause a college to be liable for injuries or illnesses include:

• Lack of security in dorm rooms
• Lack of security around the college campus
• Toxic mold growing in dorm rooms
• Asbestos in dorm rooms
  

Along with these issues other issues that cause the dorm room to be unsafe can create an unsafe atmosphere and can ultimately lead to injuries or death.

There is no reason to necessarily be alarmed when sending your child off to college but there are some basic rules you can go over with them to help avoid dorm room accidents that may be avoided. Following simple rules such as making sure curling or straightening irons, irons and other electrical equipment are kept away from covers, drapes, curtains, papers and other flammable items and also turning off and unplugged any devices that get hot when they are done being used can help reduce avoidable dorm room accidents.