Fire? Guess again. Carbon monoxide poisoning? Nope. It's falling. Here are your home's worst fall-accident zones and how to make them safer.Fire? Guess again. Carbon monoxide poisoning? Nope. Falling is the most common cause of home injury and death in America. If you expected something more dramatic, well, falling off a ladder can be pretty dramatic.Kids and the elderly are the most vulnerable to falling accidents, but a prevention mindset is smart no matter who lives in your house. Here are your home's worst fall zones and how to make them safer.BathroomsBathrooms are prime territory for bad falls. Slick surfaces, water, bare feet, and morning rush hour are a recipe for accidents. In the shower or tub, be sure to give feet something to grip, like a bath mat, stick-on treads, or a non-slip coating. And install a grab bar. Grab bars aren't just for Grandma!StairsAll stairways should have handrails and be well lit. If you have kids, install hardware-mounted safety gates at the top and bottom. One study found that in the course of a year, 100,000 kids were treated in the emergency room after tumbling down the stairs.Are you in the habit of dumping stuff on the stairs to put away next time you head up? It's convenient, but you're inviting an unplanned trip down.If your washer and dryer live in the basement, carrying a laundry basket down there can be pretty dangerous. It's awkward, and you can't see your feet. Consider installing an additional railing or grab bar. Smart tip from Real Simple: paint the last step white so you're less likely to mistake it for the floor. Or collect your laundry in a bag instead of a basket and just chuck it down!WindowsScreens aren't strong enough to stop kids from falling through windows. About 5,000 kids get injured that way every year, according to research published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.If you have wee ones, install quick-release guards on all windows from the second story up. When New York City started requiring them, children's deaths from such falls dropped by a third. Keep furniture away from windows too. You never know when a kid is going to turn into a climber.LaddersLadders are the culprit in more than 40 percent of fatal falls. In 2012, a quarter million Americans were treated for injuries from stool- or ladder-related accidents! So please take these safety tips to heart:Be sure the ladder is on a totally stable surfaceLock the spreaders; there should be no bend at allMaintain three points of contact with the ladder (just like you learned at the climbing gym)Don't put tools or buckets on the treadsStay centered on the ladder; reposition it if you find yourself leaning out or stretching to reach what you're working onSet extension ladders at a safe angle, one foot from the base of the house for every four feet you're going to climb
