But you’ve been fooled. Your “new” tires may not be new at all. And that nasty little secret could kill you.

There’s no expiration date on tires. They can stay in warehouses for years, allowing the rubber to dry out.  Yes, they look new and store owners will tell you they’ve never been used. But that’s not the point. Dried out rubber tread can easily peel off tires at highway speeds, causing drivers to lose control suddenly with fatal results.  Don’t let it happen to you. Watch this in-depth news report. It could very well save your life:

Critics say they will add to the number of distracted driving deaths on American roads, a toll they say is rising fast. But auto industry spokesmen and others say the devices will make cars safer. They say that they are creating helpful systems that display crucial information, including sensors that try to predict dangerous driving situations. Who is right?

The stakes are high. Ford’s CEO says that “in-car-connectivity” is the key to Ford’s corporate turnaround. Statistics from the Consumer Electronics Association support his claim. Demand for these “in-vehicle” gadgets was “expected to top $9.3 billion in 2009.”

Critics argue that cell phones are killing Americans at record rates as drivers talk and text while driving. Making more electronic devices available behind the wheel, they say, will only increase the number of auto accidents.  They call distracted driving America’s chief health menace.

On average, more than 41,000 people a year died in accidents in the United States over the last decade, according to a January 2010 Scripps Howard News Service story. It also cited statistics from The Institute for Transportation Engineers showing that as many as 120 people a day die from “vehicle-related crashes” in the U.S.

Those who support computers in cars say that heart disease is the biggest killer of Americans, not auto accidents.  It kills more than 600,000 a year according to The Center for Disease Control.

Since texting drivers are six times more likely to have an accident, safety conscious drivers are left to wonder if their actions may one day eclipse heart disease as the leading cause of fatalities in America. You could call it a deadly dilemma.

Safe Kids says every booster seat fits differently. What’s right for a crash dummy may not be right for your child since kids come in all shapes and sizes and crash dummies don’t.  The best way to check what’s best for your child is to visit one of Safe Kids’ free car seat /booster seat clinics. You’ll find them in every major city in the U.S.

Most states now have booster seat laws. Texas is the most recent state to adopt one. Beginning in June, Texas parents whose children aren’t in booster seats, when they should be, will be fined. Who should be in a booster seat?  Under Texas Law, any child who is under eight years old and not yet 4’9” tall must be in a booster seat. Most states have similar laws. Seat belts can kill small children who have outgrown car seats. They lie across small throats and stomachs and can strangle children or inflict fatal injuries on  internal organs.

How long is too long to take this drug? The Food and Drug Administration says it should not be taken  longer than three months. Who is most at risk? Elderly women although anyone could develop tardive dyskenesia. Why is this drug prescribed? It is used to treat heartburn caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and diabetic gastroparesis. Anyone with these symptoms or who has been diagnosed with Tardive Dyskenesia should contact a personal injury lawyer.

Medicines that can injure and kill

The makers of Paxil, Reglan and the Duragesic Pain Patch – all prescription drugs – are facing lawsuits across the country. Paxil can cause fatal birth defects. Reglan can cause permanent, jerky body movements. The Duragesic patch can deliver a fatal overdose of a powerful narcotic. Anyone experiencing these side effects or who has lost a loved after taking these drugs should consult an attorney.

Paxil: If pregnant women take Paxil their babies can be born with fatal heart and lung defects. Paxil is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder – conditions that cry out for relief. But it is highly addictive and can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms, including suicide.

Reglan: If this drug is taken for an extended period (three months) it can cause permanent involuntary movements: lip smacking, grimacing, tongue protrusion, rapid eye movements or blinking and pursing of the lips. Reglan is used to treat heartburn and acid reflux that does not respond to other drugs.

The Duragesic Patch: If these pain-killing patches leak, they deliver an overdose of Fentanyl, a narcotic that is 80 times stronger than morphine. Even after a patch with a crack has been removed, the overdose remains in the system for up to 72 hours. Duragesic patches are prescribed for cancer patients and others with chronic pain who have been taking prescription pain killers for some time. The patches never should be prescribed for anyone who has not previously been on pain medication.

Senior drivers fastest growing demographic on the planet

That’s why Swedish car manufacturer Volvo is studying how age-related changes put seniors at risk on the road. So far, the company’s research shows that older drivers have more accidents at intersections, although they tend to have fewer crashes overall. The car company wants to know why. To date, its studies have revealed two differences: Older drivers have less flexibility in the neck and a narrower field of vision. They also concentrate more on lines and marks on the road when positioning their cars compared to younger drivers who focus more attention on moving objects and other cars.
Volvo is trying to design a car that takes these factors, and others it may discover, into account and compensates for them. It’s a good thing. A United Nations report says over the next 40 years, drivers over the age of 60 will comprise more than 50% of all drivers in the developed world.

Cell phone “talkers and texters” worse than drunk drivers

New research confirms it. A 2009 study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that texting while driving increased the risk of a “safety –critical” driving event by 23.2 times. It was not the first study to determine that using electronic devices while driving is highly dangerous. In 2001, when cell phone use was exploding across the nation, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study found that driver inattention was a “causative factor in 22.7% of serious crashes compared to 18.2% for alcohol” and that driver inattention was “more likely to be the sole cause (16.7%) than alcohol (6.0%). “
The Center for Auto Safety wants drivers to remember both studies. In November, its executive director testified before Congress that if the use of electronic devices while driving is not checked, it will rival drunk driving as a national safety problem. Statistics from NHTSA show that last year, nearly 12,000 people were killed in drunken driving crashes in the United States, 31.6 % of the 37,261 traffic related deaths in 2008.

Federal government to review rules for truckers

Is 11 hours too long for truckers to be on the road without resting? Federal officials are reconsidering a Bush Administration rule that leaves them on the highway that long and reduces the time between loads to 34 hours. Before the rule took effect during the last days of the Bush administration, truckers could drive 10 hours without a break and had to rest 50 hours between loads.
In October, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) signed an agreement with five safety and labor groups to reconsider the rule. The groups filed suit against the Bush rule some time ago. They include the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Public Citizen, Parents Against Tired Truckers, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. The federal court ruled in their favor twice, stating that the government did not adequately explain the reason for the increase. But each time the court struck down the rule, the Bush Administration reinstated it. FMCSA is expected to announce its findings in about nine months.

Video teaches kids safety with fantasy chicken

Call your kids. Have a good laugh together around the computer watching a new Safe Kids USA video that will help them avoid accidents. Or email them the link to the video so they can watch it with their friends and email the link to others:  CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

The video features a “stunt chicken” and a teen rock star.  You won’t forget it. Neither will your kids or their friends. And that’s the important part. Preventable accidents kill more kids in the United States than disease. Find out more about keeping your youngsters safe at Safe Kids USA. It targets four main risk areas for kids and teaches you how to avoid them. Some may surprise you.

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