There are 7,376 public pools and spas in Orange County and to date, 3,451 have submitted paperwork to prove they’re in compliance with the new safety regulations being implemented under the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.

But a man from Seal Beach with two autistic children who checked out the “safety improvements” made at the pool and spa of his Rossmoor Park condo complex ended up getting stuck on a spa drain. Tim McIntyre however, managed to extricate himself but ended up with welts at the area which was sucked by the drain.

Under the new pool rules which are applicable to every public pool in America, whether it is from the homeowners association or apartment complex or hotel or gym or school, anti-entrapment drain covers should be installed. Likewise, if pools have a single drain, an automatic pump shut off system, a safety vacuum release system or any suction-limiting release system are required to be installed.

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act was passed in honor of the 7-year old granddaughter of former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker III. Virginia died in 2002 when she drowned after being trapped by the strong suction of a hot tub drain.

Abigail Taylor, a 6 year old girl from Minnesota was severely injured when she sat on a pool drain and its powerful suction ripped out part of her intestinal tract through her rectum along with her pancreas and liver. She later died 9 months after and her family filed suit against the pool manufacturer and the Minneapolis Golf Club.

McIntyre’s experiment however, showed that the new installations opted by some pool management such as the so-called “unblockable” drains are not that safe on its own and would still need that second-tier of anti-entrapment/anti-suction devices.

Parents and even pool owners and managers should be mindful of the new safety rules being implemented because nearly 300 children under the age of five drown in residential and public pools and spas each year.

While swimming is not dangerous, poorly maintained or unsafely designed swimming pools can cause accidents and children are especially vulnerable to getting badly injured or killed in pools. Children should always have adult supervision when they are in a place with a pool and pool owners and managers have the duty to make sure that their pools and spas are safe because otherwise, they are potentially facing a lot of personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits from victims.

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Hollywood star and sweetheart Renee Zellweger’s name was once again in the news but not because of an upcoming movie.

The 40-year old Oscar-winning actress was involved in a minor car accident in Beverly Hills. According to Lt. Tony Lee of the Beverly Hills Police Department, Zellweger was traveling alone in her silver Mercedes G wagon north on Camden Drive when a green Ford Explorer hit her after making an illegal u-turn.

The wrong-way driver was allegedly pulling out of a parking space when they attempted the turn.

Although the damage was minimal and the actress wasn’t hurt, she and the driver of the Ford exchanged information as the damages will be handled by their respective insurance companies. No one was cited for the crash.

Zellweger reportedly “politely” requested for her car be towed from the scene, and also requested that officers call her a cab.

Usually, collisions happen because of driver error. Drivers often misjudge distances or are unaware of their immediate surroundings especially when they back out of their parking.

According to the California Driver’s Handbook of 2009, a u-turn is considered illegal when it is done:

• Where a “No U-Turn” sign is posted.
• On a one-way street.
• On a divided highway by crossing a dividing section, curb, strip of land, or two sets of double yellow lines.
• Where you cannot clearly see 200 feet in each direction because of a curve, hill, rain, fog, or other reason.
• Business districts such as Areas with churches, apartments, multiple dwelling houses, clubs, and public buildings (except schools)

Drivers are advised that when they make a u-turn, to signal and use the far left lane or the center left turn lane.

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