The purpose of this editorial is to caution against some practices, involving young children, which through the years have resulted in accidents, including some fatalities. First, the irrigation season will be coming up soon. In an area like ours, in which agriculture is an important part of the economy, certain areas are laced with ditches, ranging from small streams to canals. Young children – particularly toddlers oblivious to danger and not too sure on their feet – have a way of being attracted to the water and in some cases toppling in. It only takes a few minutes for an unattended child to get in water trouble. The years have brought many drowning tragedies, and that should be warning enough. Next, we caution against leaving children unattended in cars. Police departments will confimi a record, through the years, of youngsters: – Leaving the car and getting lost. ‘ – Being attracted to one danger or another. One recent case resulted in a near-drowning. In another, a fire started in the car, with what could have been tragic results. – Releasing the emergency brake, allowing the car to travel downgrade and crash into another vehicle. Still another hazard that needs to be mentioned involves men or women driving an automobile while holding youngsters on their laps or having little ones clinging either to t e driver or the steering mechanism of the vehicle. Driving under such conditions invites accident. Obviously there are other hazards to be avoided involving small children. Make your own list – and then, importantly, follow through. For purposes of avoiding tragedy, let “safety first” be a slogan applicable every day.