Motorcycles are still deadlier than cars, but there’s some good news: Nearly 6 percent fewer bikers died on U.S. roads last year than in 2016, a new report says. Preliminary data indicate that there were 4,990 motorcyclist fatalities in the United States in 2017 — which is 296 fewer than the year before, according to… read on >
Teens love their cellphones, but that love affair can turn deadly when they climb behind the wheel of a car. But new research suggests that financial incentives and other measures might help to dissuade young drivers from texting while driving. Many teens who admit to texting while driving said they’d be receptive to cash rewards… read on >
A European woman who needed an implanted brain device got an unwelcome side effect during a storm: Nearby lightning switched the device off. Experts say the phenomenon is likely rare, and the deep brain stimulator device worked fine again once it was turned back on by doctors. Still, it’s a hazard worth looking out for,… read on >
Hit-and-run deaths in the United States reached a record high in 2016, a new report shows. “Hit-and-run crashes in the United States are trending in the wrong direction,” said David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Our analysis shows that hit-and-run crashes are a growing traffic safety challenge and the AAA… read on >
If you suffer from allergies, you already know that pollen is in the air — even in the parts of the United States with unseasonably cool temperatures. So what kind of allergy season can we expect this year? Will we see a return of the pollen vortex? Might we have a blooming bombogenesis of pollen?… read on >
You might be a drowsy driver without knowing it, and new research finds that can make you more dangerous on the road. People who suffer from chronic sleep apnea are more likely to crash, the study showed: For those with severe apnea, the increased risk hit 123 percent, while those with mild to moderate sleep… read on >
Rear-facing car seats provide effective protection for children in rear-end crashes, researchers say. Previous studies have shown that rear-facing car seats significantly reduce infant and toddler injuries and deaths in front- and side-impact crashes. But there has been little data on rear-end crashes, which represent more than one-quarter of collisions, according to the Ohio State… read on >
State laws that require child-seat use among kids eight and younger save lives, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Among states that issued stricter laws requiring car seats until a child is at least 7 years old, deaths and serious injuries among children in vehicles fell 17 percent, the agency says. Which… read on >
Even though they know it’s dangerous, many American drivers still talk on a cellphone or text while behind the wheel, a new survey finds. In fact, the number of drivers who say they talk regularly or fairly often on their cellphone while driving has actually risen 46 percent since 2013, the pollsters say. More than… read on >
Ear pain while flying is most often caused by changes in air pressure that cause the ear’s Eustachian tubes to compensate by opening wider or narrowing. The American Academy of Otolaryngology suggests how to deal with ear pain caused by changes in altitude: Consult with your doctor on how soon after ear surgery it is… read on >
