Parenting Pointers: Auto Battery Safety

According to Prevent Blindness America, each year there are roughly 6,000 eye injuries caused from auto batteries. The experts at AutoMD.com have compiled a guide for safe jump-starting procedures and installing auto batteries, as well as how to dispose of and recycle a battery.

“Auto Battery Safety Month is a great time to raise awareness on how to avoid risks when changing a car battery, as well as, on how to properly and safely jump start your car.  This is something many take for granted as being an easy fix, which is why we have created the AutoMD Battery Safety Guide,” said Brian Hafer, VP Marketing at AutoMD.com. “Whether dead or not, batteries can release an explosive hydrogen gas, and all it takes is a small spark to ignite the gas. We hope this guide will help encourage battery safety in October -- and in the months to come.”

Some alarming facts on Auto Battery Safety:
•    There are roughly 6,000 eye injuries caused by auto batteries including cuts to the eye from flying battery fragments.
•    Skin burns, hand injuries, and other related injuries can also result.
•    Injuries can be caused by battery explosions, chemical burns and/or contamination resulting from contact with battery acid, muscle strains and/or crush type injuries with lifting or dropping the battery, and electric shock from contacting battery and/or posts.

AutoMD.com’s Battery Jump Start Safety Tips
1.    Only Attempt It If You Know What You Are Doing
2.    Check Your Vehicle Owner’s Manual
3.    Keep all Sparks and Open Flames (Smoking) Away from the Battery
4.    Always Wear Eye Protection
5.    Make Sure Your Jumper Cables are in Good Condition
6.    Do Not Jump Start a Frozen Battery
7.    Turn the Ignition Key Off for BOTH Vehicles--Turn Off all Electrical Accessories
8.    Make Sure the Red and Black Cables Do Not Touch When Connecting Them to the Batteries

The full AutoMD Auto Battery Safety Tips and Resource Guide includes the following safety information:

•    How to safely jump start your auto battery
•    How to safely install a battery
•    How to safely dispose and recycle auto batteries

AutoMD.com®, a wholly-owned subsidiary of U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc., is the most comprehensive and unbiased free online automotive repair resource designed to empower car owners with the best way to repair their vehicles. Backed by a team of automotive data specialists and certified auto mechanics who are advocates for the car owner, AutoMD.com helps both DIY (Do It Yourself) and DIFM (Do It For Me) car owners to: 1. Troubleshoot car problems, 2. Know how much auto repairs should cost, 3. Understand the steps needed and the time it should take with How-to Auto Repair guides, 4. Find the right local auto repair shop at the right price for their issue, 5. Get auto repair questions answered by the AutoMD.com community, and 6. Get instant comparative quotes on repair jobs from local repair shops. AutoMD.com was named Best Automotive Website in the 8th annual American Business Awards, also known as the Stevie® Awards. AutoMD Mobile is available for the iPhone at iTunes and for the Android at Google Play.