2013

A new report out of Salinas addresses the importance of always properly restraining a pet in a vehicle when taking a trip.  The article points to research from AAA and Kurgo from 2011 that suggests 84% of drivers don’t bother to place their pets inside of some sort of restraint system.  And while the threat… read more

In recent years, grocery aisles have begun to offer a number of foods that purport to be gluten free.  However, there have yet to be any stringent benchmarks that a food has had to meet before it could make that claim.  That will all change now, though, as the Food and Drug Administration has issued… read more

A bill that seeks to inhibit rental car companies’ ability to sell or rent recalled vehicles has moved one step closer to becoming the law of the land after the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation unanimously gave the measure their approval earlier this week. Named after two sisters from Santa Cruz who were… read more

Two California members of Congress are attempting to get the Food and Drug Administration to take the threat of valley fever more seriously.  They are putting pressure on the agency to change the way they classify the condition so that it can be opened up to expanded research efforts that could improve safety. Valley fever… read more

The Food and Drug Administration has called for a new warning to be affixed to any medication containing acetaminophen.  Packaging of such drugs will now have to warn about the threat of a serious skin reaction. This moves comes two years after the Food and Drug Administration strengthened the label to relate to users the… read more

During an eight day enforcement operation known as the I-80 Challenge, the California Highway Patrol was able to achieve the goal they set out for when they initiated the effort:  nobody was killed along the California portion of Interstate 80 while the crackdown was enacted.  Although there were still 134 crashes during that time, none… read more

DePuy Orthopaedics has announced the recall of LPS Lower Extremity Dovetail Intercalary Components because of an issue that could lead to pain or even a revision procedure.  The device, which is implanted in patients requiring a partial or total femur replacement or a proximal tibia replacement, can experience a fracture along the female portion of… read more

Research from Kelley Blue Book as featured in the LA Times claims that, on average, women tend to pay more attention to the safety of a vehicle than do men.  Over 13,000 people were queried for the survey, which took into account searching metrics on the Kelley Blue Book website when coming to its conclusions. … read more

Yesterday, we related some of the ways that children can be kept safe from typical backpack and bicycle injuries.  But with the school year drawing ever closer, it’s important that parents recognize the numerous other ways they can influence their children’s behavior and make sure that their trip to school is as safe as possible. … read more

Earlier this week, we related how the current administration is currently mulling the adoption of new standards to govern a type of rail car designed to transport hazardous liquids.  Although various rail industry groups are fighting the proposed safety measures, there are some lawmakers who continue to exert pressure to see the safety mandates get… read more

In a bid to limit the number of accidental drowning deaths in the Monterey Bay area and nearby environs of California, the Coast Guard is providing guidance to those persons who plan on taking part in recreational diving at some point this summer.  If you intend to engage in such an activity, it’s imperative that… read more

In a new report that acts as a call to action, the President of Consumers Union explains that lawmakers at the state and federal levels need to work harder to pass regulations targeting hazardous chemicals that could wreak untold damage on unsuspecting Americans. He points out the deficiencies of the current regulatory landscape, which has… read more