Posts tagged as:

safety

Avoid these DUI hotspots

by Gabrielle on May 8, 2010

At duimap.org, you can use a convenient map to find out where the most DUI traffic accidents occur in your area. That way, you can sidestep the danger by planning a new route or keep an extra eye out when you’re on a road that’s notorious for having drunk drivers.

[photo: rodeworks]

Sidestep the latest Internet scam

by Gabrielle on April 30, 2010

Think you have a password that’s really hard to crack? You may not want to use it more than once. Turns out, some websites have “back doors” that allow unscrupulous people who work for the website to see your username and password. And, some of these folks are plugging that information into other websites—like banks, Paypal accounts and Facebook—to see if they work there, too. The safe solution: Use a different password for each of your online accounts.

[photo: CarbonNYC]

Sidestep these life shorteners

by Gabrielle on April 25, 2010

Keeping tabs on your health by eating right, exercising and busting stress isn’t the only way to live longer. It’s also important to…
* Skip an indoor lightning bolt. Stay away from the toilet, sink and bathtub during thunderstorms. If lightning hits close to your home, a deadly charge can jump through the plumbing and zap you, according to the National Weather Service.
* Avoid a car accident with a dashboard mount. Reaching for an unsecured object—like your cell phone, sunglasses or iPod—as you drive makes you eight times more likely to swerve out of your lane, a Mayo Clinic study shows.
* Escape a fire by checking smoke alarms. The most common reason a house fire results in serious injury: no early warning. While most homes have smoke alarms, nearly a third have no working batteries, reveals a Morehouse School of Medicine study.
* Protect your health by dodging cigarette smoke. Think only smokers have a higher risk of heart disease and cancer? Not so! Secondhand smoke is also harmful since it contains the same deadly toxins that smokers breathe in, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

[photo: atomicjeep]

Check the weather before using your iPod

by Gabrielle on April 2, 2010

If the weatherman calls for thunderstorms, leave your MP3 player at home. The metal on these devices is a powerful conductor of electricity, which means even a nearby lightning strike can send a surge of electricity straight up your headphone cables and zap you, causing serious injury, according to a report in The New England Journal of Medicine.

 Tip: Turn off your cell phone in a thunderstorm. Holding it next to your ear when lightning strikes nearby can shock you, too.

[photo: Larry Johnson]

Sidestep this surprising playground hazard

by Gabrielle on March 15, 2010

Think your toddler will be safer going down the slide on your lap or the lap of an older sibling? Not so. A recent analysis of children’s injuries shows that one in four leg fractures in young kids occurred when they were on a slide—and all these injuries happened when they were on someone’s lap, reports the Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics. [more…]

Scam-buster: Delete jury duty emails

by Gabrielle on March 14, 2010

Received an email from “uscourts.com” or another government-sounding address alerting you that you missed jury duty and instructing you to open an attached subpoena or risk going to jail? Don’t click on it! Doing so instantly downloads a virus onto your computer that steals your passwords and online banking data and sends it directly to the thieves who sent you the email, warns Oregon Attorney General John Kroger. Bona fide jury duty summonses—and summonses for missing it—are delivered only by U.S. mail, never by email or phone.

[photo: Toasty Ken]

The no-nag way to get kids to do anything

by Gabrielle on March 7, 2010

Tired of begging your kids to do things that are good for them—such as brushing their teeth, taking their vitamins, buckling up in the car or drinking their milk? Tel Aviv University have found the problem—and the solution! In their recent study, they found that kids [more…]

What’s your dog’s tail telling you?

by Gabrielle on March 4, 2010

Scientists from the University of Trieste in Italy deciphered a secret code in your dog’s tail: A wag to his right means he’s excited to see you. A wag to his left, however, [more…]

Avoid medicine mixups

by Gabrielle on February 13, 2010

You’ve heard that flushed and thrown away medications end up in our drinking water. But, holding onto expired or unused prescription and OTC pills and liquids is a medicine mishap waiting to happen. Now many pharmacies and government agencies participate in take-back programs; simply drop off unwanted meds (your pet’s, too) and they’ll be sent to environmentally-safe disposal centers. Find your nearest participating program by logging on to earth911.com; type in “medication” and your zip code and you’ll be given a list of area locations.

[photo: aussiegall]

How to escape from a sinking car

by Gabrielle on February 7, 2010

Less than one-half of one percent of all car accidents end in the water. Still, in the off chance it happens to you, knowing what to do can save your life. First, don’t wait for help—you usually have under two minutes to get out and rescue crews won’t be able to reach you in time. So, start by [more…]

Protect yourself from the latest online scam

by Gabrielle on February 1, 2010

Enjoy connecting with pals on Facebook, Myspace and other social networking sites? Crooks love it when you do, too, since these sites make it easy to scam users. Luckily, protecting yourself is as easy as… [more…]