Take a look at our September newsletter!
SEPTEMBER 2022
BE SMART, GET RINEHARDT Rinehardt Law | RinehardtLawFirm.com | 419-LAW-2020
Protecting Our Most Precious Cargo
With September being Child Passenger Safety Month, I have been thinking about vehicle safety technology and how much it has improved since our kids were little. In the summer of 1993, Aaron was 2 1/2, and Rachel was 6 months old. I was a stay-at-home mom, and one way I kept my sanity was going to step aerobics classes at the Richland Dance Academy in Lexington
three mornings a week. It was great because they offered babysitting during the classes, so I would load the kids in the minivan and get my exercise in. One hot summer day after class, I was getting Aaron and Rachel back in their car seats to go home. As usual, I put my purse and the diaper bag on the floor of the minivan while I got them buckled in their car seats. Once buckled, I stepped back and slammed the sliding door of the minivan. As it closed, I heard a strange clicking noise that sounded like the doors locking. Sure enough, I pulled the handle to the front door, and it was locked. I tried all the other doors, and they were locked, too. The windows of the van were closed, and it must have been over 100 degrees F inside. Having heard about the dangers of leaving children in a hot car, I frantically ran inside to call for help. First, I called the Lexington Police Department, who said they would send a police car over. Next, I called John, who was working in downtown Mansfield at the time. John said he would come over with the extra key. A couple of my friends from class waited with me in the parking lot. I was looking at the kids inside the van, trying to stay calm, knowing they were too little to understand what was happening. I could see both of their faces turning pink from the heat. The police arrived within minutes, and they began using locksmith tools to try to open the door. Aaron began to cry. I begged the police to hurry, but they were struggling and could not get the door unlocked. They said the only thing
they could do to get access was to break the window. This sounded extreme, expensive, and dangerous. What if the glass shattered and hurt the kids? Also, I knew John was on his way with the extra key. I looked at the kids through the now steamy windows — Aaron’s hair was matted with sweat and Rachel’s cheeks were getting redder. “Break the window!” I yelled. The police smashed in the front passenger window and unlocked the doors. Just as I whipped open the slider to get the kids out, John pulled into the parking lot. Of course, this scenario would have been entirely different in today’s world. Cars and vans will no longer lock automatically if the key is left inside. Even if the kids did somehow get locked inside, today I would have been in constant communication with John on our cellphones while he was driving, which would have allowed me to know his exact time of arrival. Fortunately, Aaron and Rachel were unhurt that day and have no memory of the trauma. Although, in hindsight, I should have waited 30 more seconds for John to arrive, I did what I thought was necessary to protect my children in the moment. When we buy a vehicle, we have to pay extra for the safety technology, but when we consider that our vehicles carry our most precious cargo, it is well worth the price.
– Hillary
Aaron and Rachel, 1993
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Our children are so precious, and there’s nothing we wouldn’t do to protect them. But every year, statistics show that motor vehicle accidents are an all-too-common cause of the deaths of children ages 1–13. That’s why car seat safety is so important. When properly utilized, car seats can protect our children from serious injuries or worse if they’re involved in a motor vehicle crash. It’s essential that parents and guardians know how to properly install and use car seats to maximize their safety. Here are two car seat safety tips to help keep your children protected while in the car. Use rear-facing seats as long as possible. Many parents are familiar with rear-facing seats for their infants but worry that as their children grow, they will need to switch to a front-facing seat to make room for their legs. This is not necessarily the case though. It’s safe and comfortable for a rear-facing child to sit with crossed legs. Most convertible seats have a rear-facing weight limit of between 35–50 pounds and absorb most of the crash forces while supporting the neck, head, and spine. With These Car Seat Tips KEEP YOUR KIDS SAFE IN THE CAR
GET YOUR CAR SEAT INSTALLED BY A CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN
Did you know 59% of car seats are installed improperly?! There are many resources to help you make sure your child’s car seat is installed correctly. Safe Kids Central Ohio sponsors an event on Sept. 14, 2022, from 1–3 p.m. at the Greenfield Township Fire Department in Carroll, Ohio, no appointment necessary. But if you can’t make it to that event, car seat inspection stations are open year-round. Certified technicians will inspect your car seat free of charge, in most cases, and show you how to correctly install and use it. Go to NHTSA.gov/ equipment/car-seats-and-booster-seats where you can enter your zip code or city and find a station or a local event. In Mansfield, Richland Public Health has a certified child car seat technician on staff who can check your child safety seat and assist in proper installation. Child car seat checks are conducted on Fridays. Call 419-774-4726 to schedule an appointment. What the Statistics Tell Us • In 2014, approximately 24% of children between the ages of 4–7 years old were prematurely moved to seat belts. • Approximately 9% of children in that age group went unbuckled in 2014. • Every 33 seconds, a child under 13 is involved in a crash. • More than one-third of children under the age of 13 who died in crashes in 2013 were unbuckled at the time of the crash. • From 2010–2014, there were 398 children killed while riding in the front seat. • In 2014 alone, an estimated 112,000 children under the age of 13 were injured in car crashes. • In 2014, 252 children under age 5 were saved because they were riding in the correct car seats. Choosing the Right Car Seat The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a variety of resources for parents who are shopping for new car seats or for those wondering when their child is ready to move up into a larger car seat or booster seat. Whether you are using a new or used car seat, take your car seat to a certified car seat inspection station to ensure it is the right child safety seat for your child’s age and size. Register your car seat with the manufacturer so you can get important updates about potential safety recalls. Finally, remember that all child passengers under the age of 13 years old need to ride in the back seat.
Keep kids in car seats until they pass the 5-step test. Most kids need a booster seat until they’re between ages 10–12, but you may be
wondering when is the best time to retire their booster seats. A child can ride safely without a booster seat after you can say yes to all parts of the five-step test.
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Can they ride with their back against the vehicle seat?
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Do their knees bend at the edge of the seat and are their feet flat on the ground?
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Does the lap belt rest on top of their thighs?
Is the shoulder belt between their neck and shoulder? Can they sit calmly and comfortably for the duration of the drive?
Many other safety recommendations come with using car seats, so read the directions for your model carefully and have a certified technician install your child’s car seat for the best results.
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DIRECTIONS Rustic Free-Form Apple Tartlets
INGREDIENTS Dough • 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 2 tbsp granulated sugar • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt or table salt • 1 stick unsalted butter, cold , cut into 1/2‑inch pieces • 4 oz cream cheese, cold , cut into 1/2‑inch pieces • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice • 1–2 tbsp ice water Apple Filling • 1 1/4 lbs Granny Smith apples (about 3 medium) • 1 1/4 lbs McIntosh apples (about 3 medium) • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice • 1/4 cup granulated sugar • 2 tbsp granulated sugar, for sprinkling Hillary has been making this recipe since it appeared in Cooks Illustrated in 1999. It is a fun recipe to make with kids because they can make their own tartlet. The cream cheese in the dough makes it easy to handle and works great with other fruits, too, depending on the season, like blueberries and peaches, or a combination! If you don’t have a food processor, you can make the dough with a pastry cutter. Make sure the butter and cream cheese are cold. Serve the tartlets warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Makes 6 individual tartlets.
1. In food processor fitted with steel blade, pulse flour, sugar, and salt to combine. Add butter and cream cheese. Pulse 10–12 times until mixture forms small pebbles (it should not form a cohesive ball). Turn mixture into medium bowl. 2. Sprinkle lemon juice and 1 tbsp ice water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to evenly distribute water and lemon juice into flour mixture until small portion of dough holds together when squeezed in palm of hand, adding up to 1 tbsp more ice water if necessary. (Mixture will look dry even after liquid is incorporated.)
3. Turn dough onto clean, dry work surface. Gather and gently press together into cohesive ball, then flatten into rough disk. With chef’s knife or dough scraper, cut dough into 6 equal pieces, shaping each piece into a disk about 3 inches wide. Place disks in single layer on flat dinner plate, wrap plate in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes (can be refrigerated up to 2 days). 4. Remove dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 30 minutes, let stand at room temperature until soft and malleable). Working one at a time, roll out disks between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment paper into circles approximately 6 inches wide. Remove top layer of parchment and trim bottom layer of parchment into rectangles about 2 inches larger than dough. Stack rectangles with parchment on plate, cover plate with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while preparing fruit. 5. Adjust one oven rack to highest position and other rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 400 F. Peel, core, and cut apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices and toss with lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and cinnamon. Arrange parchment-lined dough rounds in single layer on work surface. Arrange about 1 cup apple slices, thick edges out, in circular mound, leaving 1-inch border of dough. Fold dough border up over filling, pleating dough to fit snugly around apples. With cupped hands, gently press dough to filling, reinforcing shape and compacting apples. Using parchment lining, slide 3 tartlets onto each of 2 cookie sheets. 6. Bake tartlets until pale golden brown, about 15 minutes. Brush crust with beaten egg whites and sprinkle apples with remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Return tartlets to oven, switching positions of cookie sheets. 7. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and apples are tender, about 15 minutes longer. Cool tartlets on cookie sheets 5 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, remove from parchment and transfer to cooling rack. Cool additional 5 minutes and serve.
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon • 2 egg whites, beaten lightly
INSPIRATION CORNER Hannah Rinehardt
so she volunteers to assist in liver and kidney transplant surgeries any time there is an opportunity. All of this comes naturally to Hannah because she is driven by her passion for science and medicine. This summer, Hannah had only a few days off. Most of us would choose to spend the time vacationing or relaxing, but not Hannah. Instead, she returned to Ohio to volunteer at Flying Horse Farms, a camp for kids with serious illnesses, where she has worked and volunteered since she was in college at OSU. Hannah is one of those people who lights up a room with her curiosity and engagement, as I’m sure the campers can attest to.
We may be a little biased, but we are constantly amazed by our daughter Hannah. She is in her third year of general surgery residency at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and works long hours (most weeks around 80 hours), with lots of overnight call shifts. When she isn’t at the hospital, she spends time working on numerous research projects or reading medical literature about upcoming rotations or surgeries. Hannah is very interested in transplant surgery,
Hannah lives by the observation of Mahatma Gandhi “that the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
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2404 Park Ave. W., Mansfield, OH 44906 419-LAW-2020 BeSmartLegal.com
INSIDE THIS EDITION
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Protecting Our Most Precious Cargo
Car Seat Safety Tips to Protect Your Children
Get Your Car Seat Installed by a Certified Technician
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Rustic Free-Form Apple Tartlets
Inspiration Corner — Hannah Rinehardt
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Let Us Help Protect Precious Cargo
CAR SEAT GIVEAWAY For Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week When it comes to child safety, it is better to be safe than sorry. Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week emphasizes the importance of ensuring all children are properly secured in an appropriate car seat or seat belt. A child’s age, weight, and height can all play a factor when determining proper safety harnesses, so it’s important to keep up to date with current regulations and best practices. Sept. 18–25 is dedicated to all things related to child passenger safety. It is crucial to have our children properly secured in an appropriate car seat. Road injuries are the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. A car seat can reduce the risk of infant fatality by 71% in a car accident if used appropriately; however, over half of child safety seats are not properly installed! That’s why we are giving away a car seat in a Facebook drawing on Friday, Sept. 23. For our giveaway, we chose the top-rated car seat — the Britax Boulevard ClickTight Convertible Car Seat — for its high safety ratings, easy installation, comfort, and ability to accommodate growing children.
Check out our Facebook page for more details!
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