Safety

A recent report aimed at transportation reform highlights the top ten most dangerous cities for pedestrians and offers a progress report on pedestrian safety, report news sources. The report from non-profit coalition Transportation for America states that pedestrian safety is largely ignored in budget and resource allocation matters, noting a 27-percent decrease in motor vehicle… read more

An idyllic beach vacation is a summer tradition for many people; however while enjoying a seaside holiday, there are safety concerns to be considered, specifically from umbrellas that may have become airborne, kicked up by strong ocean breezes, report news sources. It seems that flying umbrellas can cause injury. A search of the Consumer Product… read more

News sources report, an online safety video game is aimed at preventing collisions between trains and large trucks like the June 24 collision near Reno that involved a big rig and an Amtrak train and killed six. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, in 2010, 70 people died in 511 collisions between large trucks and… read more

Media sources report, that tires sold as new are often quite old, posing a safety risk to motorists and passengers. Tires sold in the U.S. have no expiration date and can sit on store shelves for years until they are sold. However, tires, whether or not they are in use can begin to deteriorate, and… read more

Findings from a recent study indicate that distractions like talking on the phone, texting and listening to music put pedestrians at greater risk of being struck by a motor vehicle while crossing the street, report news outlets. The University of Alabama at Birmingham study, conducted in a virtual-environment lab, focused on quantifying the dangers of… read more

A recent study found that, at least among New Jersey motorists, drivers with longer commutes tend to engage in more unsafe behavior including talking on the phone, texting, and making rude gestures to other motorists, report news sources. The study conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind, and co-sponsored by the New Jersey’s Division of Highway… read more

Several Peterbilt dealers are getting behind the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s safety campaign “Buckle Up In Your Truck” by offering safety tools and discounts on service to truckers, report news outlets. The four Midwestern dealers, three in Iowa and one in Nebraska, are delivering the message to be safe by buckling up through two… read more

Keeping your ears open is an important safety practice for bicyclists, reports one news source. Says a transportation planner, after the sense of sight, hearing is a cyclist’s most important sense as it allows riders to gauge their surroundings, especially what’s going on behind them. According to a 2009 National Highway Transportation Safety Administration report,… read more

Children’s natural curiosity can lead to serious injury when that inquisitiveness leads them to come in contact with hot glass used to cover gas fireplaces, report news sources. According to an independent safety researcher, from 1999 through March 2009 more than 2,000 children age 5 and younger suffered burn injuries related to gas fireplaces. Industry… read more

News sources report, in a study released Wednesday, researchers discovered that a group of pregnant women in California has shown some of the highest blood levels every recorded worldwide of a toxic flame retardant chemicals. The University of California, San Francisco study tested 25 Northern and Central California women who were in their second trimester… read more

While much emphasis has been placed on texting as a serious source of driver distraction, less attention has been given to role unrestrained pets can play in distracted driving-related incidents. One health resource encourages restraining pets in vehicles, noting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration categorizes unrestrained pets as a driving distraction. Keeping pets… read more

In a news release Thursday, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety announced that the non-for-profit safety group in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation is offering a free toolkit to help combat distracted driving among employees, employee families, and the communities in which the company operates. The 2011 Drive Safely Work Week toolkit… read more