2012

With awareness about the dangers of cigarettes more rampant than ever before, many people are increasingly turning to electronic cigarettes as a way to wean themselves off of regular tobacco products.  But the Food and Drug Administration isn’t so sure that this is the most healthy way to go about quitting. Electronic cigarettes work by… read more

A couple of bills circulating through Congress could end up taking away some of the power of the Food and Drug Administration. Specifically, the bills being considered would take away the FDA’s ability to regulate traditional cigars.  In 2009, The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act made it possible for the FDA to have… read more

The Alabama state legislature passed a bill earlier this year, banning drivers from sending or reading text based messages while operating a motor vehicle. The bill it takes effect beginning August 1, 2012 after being signed into law by the state’s governor. In order to accustom inexperienced motorists to the new law, a series of… read more

With texting while driving becoming more and more prevalent, all eyes were on New Jersey when a lawsuit was brought against someone who sent a text message that allegedly distracted a driver and caused an accident.  One of the first cases of its kind, the case could have far reaching implications for anyone who texts,… read more

The number one killer of Unites States teenagers is fatal traffic accidents, and the deadliest time of year for teenage drivers began Memorial Day Weekend. The 100 most dangerous days for novice motorists under the age of 20 extends from Memorial Day to Labor Day of each year. Summer vacation means more teenage drivers on… read more

Though approximately 80 percent of the young drivers responding to a Consumer Reports distracted driving survey agreed that using a handheld communication device for text based messaging or internet access while operating a moving vehicle is extremely dangerous, nearly three in ten survey respondents reported sending or receiving a text message while behind the wheel… read more

For those still not sure that the act of texting while driving is dangerous, here’s one more study that seeks to convince you. Under the banner of a project known as Generation tXt, students, under the guidance of University of Oklahoma School of Medicine faculty, looked at the driving habits of thirty students between the… read more

I’ve often used this blog to discuss the dangers inherent in texting while behind the wheel of an automobile.  But could the very act of simply anticipating a call coming through be posing a danger as well? That’s what a new study suggests.  Researchers at the University of Washington conducted a study which looked at… read more

A non-profit organization dedicated to educating children about trucker safety is expanding its purview. Trucker Buddy International has announced a program wherein truckers will be paired up with high schools in an effort to teach students at those high schools the importance of big rig safety.  This program is going to be called Trucking Mentors…. read more

Novice and future teen drivers in Sacramento will be offered a driver safety education class, sponsored by the California Highway Patrol’s Valley Division The free Start Smart/Impact Teen Drivers class will be held at the California Highway Patrol’s Valley Division office in Sacramento. According to a California Highway Patrol news release, the law enforcement agency… read more

There are a number of hazards that teens face when getting into the car.  Some are obvious, such as the danger that texting while driving can present.  But not all obstacles are as readily apparent. A new study by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm insurance has found that teenagers with friends riding… read more

A new smart phone app is targeting texting while driving by disabling texting and calling capabilities on phones that are determined to be in a moving vehicle, report news sources. The PhoneGuard app, which runs in the background on Android and Blackberry phones, pings GPS satellites every few seconds to determine how fast the phone… read more