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Entry bubble Teen Drivers

By: Colleen | December 31, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

Hindsight is 20/20, and looking back...there is NO WAY that at the age of 16, the state of Pennsylvania should have issued me a driver's license.

Even though I have a clean driving record accident-free driving record, I look back at some of my driving habits/youthful decisions in general, and I can't help but cringe.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 5,000 U.S. teens die each year in car crashes. The rate of crashes for 16 year-old drivers is almost 10 times the rate for drivers 30-59.

Ford Motor Company is attempting to do something about this. Starting in the 2010 Focus, Ford will offer a feature being called "MyKey." The key contains a computer chip which is activated when inserted into the ignition. Parents can program the chip to control certain parts of the car in an effort to make driving safer for teens.

Some of the options?

  • Ability to limit the volume of the car's stereo system. (As a 25-year-old who morphs into a rock-star when behind the wheel, I can see how this can be a total bummer for a teen. But, looking back to some of the music I listened to in high school- not that big of a deal.)
  • Capacity to block the speed of the car from exceeding 80 mph. It's thought that having 70mph as a cut off would be too limiting to allow for exceptional circumstances- such as speeding up to avoid an accident.
  • Setting a continuous beeping alert when the driver's seatbelt isn't connected. (I've never ever understood people who don't wear seatbelts. It's so habitual for me that I don't even think twice about it.)
  • Capability to set a chime if the teen exceeds 45, 55, or 65 mph. (Can the chimes be set as ringtones? I kid...)

On the surface, I think this is a potentially good feature. I'm interested to see how effective MyKey is over the next few years. As a teen? I'd be infuriated. Life would be over as I knew it! Kind of like that time the parental units put the kibosh on me missing a few days of school to go to Disney World with a friend. I somehow still managed to become the successful Consumer Information Specialist that I am today. ;-)

What MyKey can't prevent is cell phone use in the car, which I think is a much bigger problem, not only for teens but adults as well. Funny though, that was never an issue for me as a teen driver seeeing as my "cell phone" was the 35 cents I kept in the glove compartment to use a pay phone in case of emergency.

What kind of parameters would you like to set for your teen driver? Do you think devices like this will make the roads safer?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: colleen   driver's_license   mykey   safety   teen_driver  

 

Entry bubble Is Radon Lurking in Your Home?

By: Stephanie | September 05, 2008 | Category: Health

radioactive symbolDid you know that the number one cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers may be lurking in your home? The culprit—elevated levels of radon—is estimated to be found in nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some 20,000 people will die this year due to breathing too much radon without even knowing it. Among smokers, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in nearly all soils. It can leak through cracks into your home, where it can get trapped and build up. You can't see radon, and you can't smell or taste it. Any home can have a radon problem—new and old homes, well-sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements.

The EPA and the Surgeon General of the United States have recommended that all houses be tested for radon. I thought that my house had a radon tester, but while researching this post, I learned that it’s just a monitor—which sports the recommendation to test for radon every two years.

Luckily, many states offer free or discounted radon test kits; you can check your state’s program on EPA’s map. Radon test kits are also available by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON (1-800-767-7236), and from some local or state American Lung Associations and home improvement stores.

If you have elevated levels of radon in your home, professionals can help fix the problem, often for about the same cost as other common home repairs.

For more facts on radon, visit EPA's general information, its citizens' guide to radon, and its consumers' guide to radon reduction. Pueblo.gsa.gov also offers information on the deadly gas, and the National Institutes of Health and USA.gov offer useful links to more information on radon.

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: gas   home   house   killer   lung_cancer   radioactive   radon   safety   stephanie   test  

 

Entry bubble School Bus Safety

By: Joanne | August 26, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

children looking out a school bus window

Today’s our first day of school, and two questions come to mind. Where did summer go? And why, why, why are there no seat belts on school buses!?!

When I was a little kid, my parents weren’t required by law to strap me into a car seat, but over the years we’ve learned a lot about safety. Whenever I get into a car I always buckle up, and my kids are properly restrained as well. So if I’m a criminal if I don’t buckle up my kids in the car, how does the school district get off? Why does the danger end when they climb the steps of the big, yellow school bus? I don’t get it.

I’ve done a little reading on the subject, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that school buses are one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States. Tragically, in the U.S. more than 42,000 people die in traffic crashes every year, and on average, six school age children die in school bus crashes. A 2002 report by the National Academy of Sciences looked at fatalities that occurred as kids were transported to and from school and the report says that only 2 percent are associated with official school transportation, compared to 22 percent due to walking/bicycling to or from school, and 75 percent from passenger car transportation to or from school. In fact, statistics show that the area around (outside) the bus is far more dangerous than being inside the bus, so be sure your kids know how to stay safe around the bus.

Still, I find these statistics only somewhat reassuring. I noticed that these reports are only addressing fatalities in school buses and ignoring injury. Maybe I have a wild imagination, but I would expect that in the event of a crash, those little children fly around in the bus like popcorn!

If school bus safety bothers you like it bothers me, do what I did and contact your elected officials and let them know that you think it’s an important issue.

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: bus   joanne   kids   safety   school   seat_belts  

 

Entry bubble When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors

By: Stephanie | August 05, 2008 | Category: Health

lightning Lightning has been called the most underrated weather hazard, killing an average of 62 people and injuring at least 300 people in the United States each year. Did you know that if you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance of lightning?

The National Weather Service says that most lightning victims are not struck at the height of a thunderstorm, but before and after the storm has peaked. So seek shelter if you can count 30 seconds or less between a lightning flash and its thunder, and stay in the shelter until 30 minutes after the final clap of thunder.

A large, enclosed building is the best shelter. While you're inside, don't use computers, corded phones, and other electrical equipment (but cell phones and cordless phones—away from their bases—are ok). Also stay away from tubs, sinks, and other plumbing, and metal objects such as refrigerators. (If you are caught in your car, don't touch metal.)

If you're caught outside, try to get to a low place such as a ravine under a thick growth of small trees. Don't stand under a tall, isolated tree or in an open area, and don't lie flat on the ground. Also, don't touch anything metal, including bicycles or golf carts. For boating lightning safety, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's information.

lightning crouch

If you feel your hair stand on end, this means that lightning is about to strike. Get into the "Lightning Crouch": drop to your knees, roll forward onto the balls of your feet, place your hands on your knees, and tuck your head down. (Rubber-soled shoes don't protect against lightning.)

If a person is struck by lightning, it is not dangerous to touch him or her. With immediate medical help, including CPR if necessary, most victims survive a lightning strike.

For more information on lightning safety, visit USA.gov's FAQ and the Online School for Weather. Or read lightning survivor stories, see dramatic photos of lightning, or learn more about the science behind lightning.

| View Comments [7] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: danger   lightning   safety   shelter   stephanie   survive   thunderstorm   victim  

 

Entry bubble Keep Food Safe During a Power Outage

By: Joanne | July 29, 2008 | Category: Health

stainless steel refrigerator doorsI woke up this morning to a power outage. Naturally my first instinct was to panic – I can’t make coffee! Then I collected myself, found an electric bill and reported the outage to the power company and within an hour I was grinding coffee beans.

I’m lucky that I’m rarely without power and if it does go out, it’s only for a short time. What concerns me most during a power outage (after coffee) is the food in the refrigerator and freezer. Summertime is when you have to be the most careful about handling food – the heat, humidity and power outages caused by summer storms can all make your food bad, and worse, make you sick.

I know we all hate the idea of throwing food away – it’s so expensive these days and we hate to waste it. But remember it’s better to be safe than sorry. Salmonella and other food-borne illnesses are not to be taken lightly.

The good news is that it’s pretty easy to take care of your food for a short power outage, and there are steps you can take to save your food for a longer outage too. Keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed. An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold enough for a couple of hours at least. A freezer that is half full will hold for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for 48 hours. When the power comes back on, use a thermometer to check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer. If the refrigerator is 40° F or colder, and the freezer is still colder than 40° F, the food is safe.

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: electricity   food   joanne   outage   power   safety  

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