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Results for search "Travel Safety: Motor Vehicle Injury".

Health News Results - 66

Car Height, Not Just Speed, Matters When Pedestrians Are Hit

Watch out for tall, fast-moving cars. The height of a vehicle, not only its speed, determines its potential danger to a pedestrian, new research shows.

“Multiple factors — in this case speed and vehicle height—converge to create negative outcomes on the road,” said David Harkey, president of the Insurance Institute for High...

Drowsy Driving: Not Taken as Seriously as Drunk Driving, But It Can Kill

Folks are more likely to drive drowsy than drive drunk, even though both raise the risk of a fatal crash, a new survey shows.

About 4 in 10 adults say they’ll find alternative transportation when they haven’t gotten enough sleep, according to the poll from the

U.S. E-Bike and Scooter Injuries are Soaring

FRIDAY, September 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Folks who depend on e-bikes and powered scooters to get around know they might get hurt, but they might be surprised by just how likely that really is.

Rates of injury on the trendy transportation devices skyrocketed between 2019 and 2022, Columbia University researchers report. E-bike injuries jumped 293%; those involving powered scoote...

Most Parents Are Moving Kids Out of Car Booster Seats Too Soon

Most parents are placing their kids in harms’ way by moving them out of their car booster seat too soon, a new study warns.

Four out of five parents moved their kid out of a booster seat before the child was big enough, according to the report, Boos...

Experts Warn of Unsafe Fake Children's Car Seats Sold Online

Jillian Davis was pleased to be gifted a car seat during her pregnancy, from a family member who bought it online from a major retailer.

But following the delivery of her daughter in late June, a car seat tech at her Salt Lake City hospital informed her that the seat was an unsafe counterfeit.

“It’s completely shocking because this is my fourth child and I’ve never...

'Rolling Stop' Laws for Bicyclists Are Safe, Study Suggests

“Rolling stop” laws that let bicyclists treat stop signs as yield signs are not dangerous, a new study demonstrates.

Both bike riders and drivers perform safely in intersections once they’ve been informed about how the law works, results from lab experiments involving bicycle and motor vehicle simulators show.

“The focus of previous research has been crash-da...

U.S. Injuries From Electric Bikes, Scooters Are Soaring

More and more Americans who use "micromobility" transport, such as electric bikes and e-scooters, are motoring their way straight into the ER, new data shows.

In fact, the rate of e-bike injuries among Americans doubled each year between 2017 and 2022, reportED a team led by Dr. Adrian Fernandez, of the University of California, Sa...

U.S. Pedestrian Deaths Decline for First Time Since Pandemic

For the first time since the pandemic, it got a little safer to cross America's streets in 2023, new statistics show.

According to data released Monday from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 7,318 American pedestrians were killed by motor vehicles last year -- a dip of 5.4% from 2022 and the first such decline seen ...

Too Many Teens Are Driving Drowsy

Teens on the verge of falling asleep behind the wheel is a common threat to public safety on U.S. roadways, a new study reports.

About 1 in 6 teenage drivers say they've driven while drowsy, according to a National Sleep Foundation study presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Houston. The research was also published in a special supplem...

U.S. Deaths Linked to ATVs Rose by a Third in One Year

In just one year, U.S. deaths linked to the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) jumped by a third, according to the latest report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

With another summer set to begi...

Subtle Mental Declines Occur Before Older Folk Quit Driving

One of the toughest decisions seniors face is when to give up their keys and stop driving.

Even slight changes to the ability to remember, think and reason can lead a senior to decide to stop driving, a new study finds.

Impaired cognitive function foreshadows the decision of many seniors ...

Pedestrians Twice as Likely to Be Hit by Electric Cars Versus Gas-Powered Ones

Many people have been caught by surprise when an electric-powered car has smoothly and silently crept up on them as they walked.

But such an accident can pose a very serious risk to life and limb, and pedestrians might be twice as likely to be hit by an electric or hybrid car than a gas-powered vehicle, researchers reported May 21 in the

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 22, 2024
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    • Total Solar Eclipse in 2017 Linked to Brief Rise in Traffic Accidents

    Ahead of a total solar eclipse arriving April 8, new research finds there was a temporary rise in U.S. traffic accidents around the time of a solar eclipse back in 2017.

    The area in the United States covered by the total eclipse seven years ago was relatively small (about 70 miles wide), but it was still tied to a 31% national rise in fatal traffic accidents. 

    "In absolute term...

    Women More Prone to Go Into Shock After Car Crashes Than Men

    After a car crash, women are more likely to go into shock than men, even when their injuries are less severe, new research shows.

    "Women are arriving to the trauma bay with signs of shock more often than men, regardless of injury severity," said study leader Susan Cronn, a researcher at the Medical College of W...

    Nighttime Driving: Know the Risks

    Driving at night can be risky business, as a dangerous combination of darkness and the glare of bright lights can make it hard to see the road, but one expert offers some safety tips.

    "If you have to drive in the evening time and you're not comfortable, try to stick with roads that you know and make sure you know where you're going so you don't have to be looking at street signs, which ar...

    Seniors Who Smoke Weed & Drive Are Road Hazards: Study

    Many studies have found that getting high on weed and then getting behind the wheel is dangerous for young drivers, and now new research finds it's no different for seniors.

    In a driving-simulator experiment, seniors who were long-term marijuana smokers were weaving in and out of their lanes 30 minutes after getting high, Canadian researchers report.

    The effect was not seen when the...

    Are Your Driving Habits Pointing to a Sleep Disorder?

    Do you drive with the window open? Sip coffee behind the wheel? Blast the car radio and sing along? Fidget and fuss in the driver's seat?

    These sorts of driving habits could be a sign that you're getting poor sleep because you suffer from sleep apnea, a new study suggests.

    Folks with sleep apnea frequently employ more than three of these strategies while driving, in an attempt to re...

    Migraines Could Raise Crash Risks for Older Drivers

    Migraines are not only extremely painful, but they also appear to pose a driving risk for seniors, a new study warns.

    Older adult drivers recently diagnosed with migraines are three times more likely to be involved in a car crash, researchers reported recently in the

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • January 5, 2024
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    • Post-Trauma Support Can Prevent Repeat Hospitalizations

    When hospitals support trauma survivors' mental health during and after treatment, patients are less likely to return in crisis, researchers report.

    There's no uniform guidance on how to offer mental health services to these patients, noted lead study author Laura Prater.

    Fewer hospital readmissions are a good sign that people's menta...

    How Much Vision Loss Impairs Your Driving? New Study Has Answers

    A Mr. Magoo with thick glasses peering out from behind the wheel might not inspire confidence from his fellow motorists, but a new study shows other types of vision loss might be even more dangerous while driving.

    Loss of peripheral vision also can dramatically increase the risk of a car crash, Australian researchers presented in findings this week at the American Academy of Ophthalmology...

    U.S. Teens Are Driving Drowsy at High Rates

    Drowsy driving causes thousands of car crashes a year and teen drivers say they are often sleepy behind the wheel.

    In a new survey, teens reported high rates of drowsy driving. School and job commitments were the top factors keeping them up at nigh...

    U.S. Injuries From E-Bikes, E-Scooters Jumped 21% in One Year

    E-bikes, e-scooters and hoverboards are everywhere -- and injuries related to their use are soaring.

    The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a new report on Tuesday showing that injuries associated with these so-called micro-mob...

    New Technology Could Predict Your Teen Driver's Risk for a Crash

    When your teen gets a driver's license, you'll likely have mixed emotions. While you're off the hook for carpools, it's scary to think about your baby behind the wheel.

    Now, a new video game technology that exposes drivers to the most common serious crash scenarios and sees how they react may help predict what type of driver your teen will be. It can also highlight any potential prob...

    Seniors With ADHD Face Higher Car Crash Risk

    While studies of ADHD and driving usually target teens, a new one focused on seniors found they have a significantly higher risk of car crashes.

    Older adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were also more likely to slam on the brakes and get traffic tickets, th...

    Seniors, Here Are the Meds That Can Harm Your Driving Skills

    Some common medications -- including antidepressants, sleep aids and painkillers -- may dull the driving skills of seniors, a new study finds.

    Many different medication classes have been linked to the risk of driving impairment, as anyone who has ever read the label warning "do not operate heavy machinery" might have guessed.

    But the new study took a particularly rigorous approach t...

    Surgeons Seeing More 'Mutilating' Hand Injuries With New Utility Terrain Vehicles

    A popular type of off-road vehicle known as a "side-by-side"has been linked to high rates of severe hand injuries, according to a new study.

    Side-by-sides are utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) designed to carry more than one passenger and heavy loads. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are usually made for one driver going off-road.

    "

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 3, 2023
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    • Booming Sales of Legal Marijuana Linked to More Car Crashes

    Emergency room visits for injuries related to driving under the influence of cannabis skyrocketed in Canada after the drug was legalized there, a new study reports.

    In October 2018, Canada became the second country to nationally legalize recreational or nonmedical cannabis for adult use.

    While known cannabis-involved emergency department (ED) visits for traffic injuries were still ...

    Many Child Car Seats Are Improperly Installed, Even Those Deemed Easy to Manage

    Many parents in the United States aren't installing child car seats correctly, a new study finds.

    Errors in car seat installation are common, even for seats that have a 5-star rating for features like ease of use, researchers found. The study found that fewer errors were detected when parents installed seats that had higher ratings, but researchers recommend that parents seek out safety ...

    Many Seniors With Thinking Declines Still Drive

    Getting older adults who are failing mentally to relinquish their car keys can be challenging. But those conversations are necessary, said researchers who found a majority of adults with cognitive impairment still get behind the wheel.

    Michigan Medicine researchers studied this issue in a South Texas community. They found that more than 600 adults over age 65 in Nueces County had cognitiv...

    Drinking & Driving in the Senior Years: A Recipe for Disaster

    Older drivers using alcohol or drugs are much more likely to be at fault in a car crash.

    Researchers studying the issue say that calls for sober-driving campaigns aimed at seniors.

    "Our research shows just how much aging increases the risk of being at fault for injury or fatality in a drug- or alcohol-related traffic accident," said lead author

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 28, 2023
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    • U.S. Roadway Deaths Marked Small Decline in 2022

    Traffic deaths are down on U.S. roadways, but the small drop pales in comparison to the surging rate of recent years.

    Deaths in traffic crashes fell 0.3% last year compared to 2021, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). On average, crashes claimed the lives of 117 people a day -- more than 42,000 in all for 2022.

    "Any reduction in roadway deat...

    Half of U.S. Drivers Say They Often Use Cellphones Behind the Wheel

    Texting and driving can be deadly. Holding your phone in your hand to talk and surfing the internet while behind the wheel is dangerous, too.

    This is widely known, but a new survey finds that about half of all respondents still use an electronic device most or every time they drive.

    "I'd say...

    Fully Legalizing Marijuana Could Raise Car Crash Rates

    Marijuana legalization in the United States appears to be driving an increase in car crash deaths due to a jump in "intoxicated driving," researchers say.

    In 4 out of 7 states that legalized recreational cannabis, deaths from car crashes rose 10%, according to the University of Illinois Chicago study. On a brighter note, suicide and opioid overdose deaths declined in the states that legal...

    Even Minor Traffic Accidents Can Raise a Woman's Odds for Birth Complications

    "Baby on Board"warning stickers apply even when there's a mom-to-be in the vehicle, a new study argues.

    Pregnant women involved in traffic collisions are at heightened risk of potentially serious birth complications, even if the wreck only involves minor injuries, researchers report.

    These complications can include dislodgement of the placenta, very heavy bleeding, and the need for ...

    U.S. Pedestrian Deaths Keep Rising

    Pedestrian deaths have surged on U.S. roads in recent years, and they are climbing again.

    Pedestrian deaths hit a 40-year high in 2021, and numbers for the first half of 2022 were up about 5% over the same period in 2021, according to a new Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) analysis.

    It cites a variety of contributors, including heavier vehicles that are more likely to inj...

    Odds for Early Death Rise After Severe Injury Linked to Alcohol

    Before you toast the holiday season with too much alcohol, here's a sobering thought.

    Folks who get injured severely enough while intoxicated to require hospital treatment are five times more likely to die in the coming year, according to new research published in Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs<...

    'Virtual' Driver Program Could Make Driving Safer for Teens With ADHD

    A simulator may make driving safer for teens with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by training them to take shorter glances away from the roadway.

    Focused Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL) is a computer-based program that teaches teens to keep their eyes on the road. For this study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, a driving simulator was added to give ...

    Need for Organ Transplants Surges at Big Motorcycle Rallies: Study

    Once a year, giant motorcycle rallies ride into places like Daytona Beach, Fla., and Sturgis, S.D., bringing hundreds of thousands of people, an economic boost -- and a wave of crash-related deaths.

    That means more organs available for donation and the need to be prepared, according to a

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • November 29, 2022
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    • Another Reason to Keep Daylight Saving Time: Fewer Deer-Car Collisions

    Motorists are more likely to plow into a deer on U.S. highways after the annual "fall back" end of daylight saving time (DST), a new study shows.

    That's because frisky deer in the middle of their mating season (also known as rut) are crossing roads that become shrouded in darkness earlier in the day with the time change, researchers explained.

    There's a 16% increase in deer-vehicle ...

    Most Americans Admit to Driving While Drowsy: Poll

    Most people consider drowsy driving dangerous, but an estimated 37 million Americans still get behind the wheel at least once a year when they're so tired they can barely keep their eyes open.

    About six in 10 people admitted to drowsy driving in a new survey by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).

    "Drowsy driving is impaired driving,"said Joseph Dzierzewski, the foundation's vice pr...

    Big Rise in E-Scooter Injuries Among U.S. Kids

    With the growing popularity of electric scooters, the number of kids injured while riding them has jumped dramatically, a new study finds.

    Moreover, those injuries have become more ...

    Speeding, Texting a Dangerous Duo for Many Teen Drivers: Study

    Danger on the road: Speeding and texting while driving are two common but risky behaviors among teens, a new study finds.

    Among teen drivers in the study, researchers found they drove over the speed limit on 40% of trips and held cellphones more than 30% of th...

    Fractured Skulls, Broken Bones: Bike Injuries Still Common for Kids

    Over 1 million U.S. children and teens -- many of them male -- have broken bones and fractured their skulls in bicycle injuries over the past 20 years, according to new research that brought together two decades of data.

    Boys aged 10 to 15 were particularly at risk. Nearly 87% of kids with

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 7, 2022
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    • Thousands of U.S. Kids Have Died Riding ATVs, Many More Sent to ERs

    Pediatric surgeon Dr. Rony Marwan has seen way too many kids who have been seriously injured in all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents.

    "My kids are not allowed to ride in ATVs because of the horrific things I have seen," said Marwan, ...

    America's Rural Roads: Quiet But Deadly, New Report Finds

    A new report reveals a hidden secret about the nation's beautiful rural roads: They're too often fatal for motorists.

    Nearly half of all U.S. crashes happen on rural roads, despite only 19% of Americans living in those areas. The report, conducted by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), details why and what can be done to prevent these fatal crashes.

    "Roads are the bac...

    Wildlife Crossings Over Highways Save Human Lives, Too

    In Washington state, 22 wildlife bridges and underpasses provide animals with a safe way through to search for food or escape predators and wildfires.

    It turns out the crossings have been benefiting humans, too.

    In a 10-mile radius around wildlife crossings, there are between one and three fewer collisions a year between vehicles and animals, a

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 31, 2022
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    • One Back-to-School Worry for Parents: Traffic Dangers

    The dangers of school traffic is a major worry for many parents, a new poll finds.

    In fact, a third of more than 900 parents surveyed last spring said speeding and distracted parent drivers are their main concern, and drivers who don't follow the rules should be banned from school parking areas.

    According to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health from ...

    3 Key Changes Could Make Roads Safer for Older Pedestrians

    Better lighting and other changes to street crossings could improve pedestrian safety for seniors -- the age group most likely to be killed by oncoming vehicles.

    Researchers pored over four years of Oregon crash data for locations considered dangerous for walkers age 65 and older. They called for changes to improve visibility and illumination, to increase the use of left-turn traffic sign...

    Where Pot Became Legal, Car Crash Deaths Rose: Study

    Car crashes and deaths are on the rise in U.S. states that have legalized recreational marijuana, a new study finds.

    "Marijuana, like alcohol and just about every other drug, changes how you feel and how you behave. That's the purpose of a drug. And that changes how you drive. We all need to realize that...

    Safer Roadways Could Save 540,000 Lives a Year Worldwide

    Traffic accidents kill about 1.35 million people around the world each year.

    As the United Nations convenes a meeting on global road safety, new research suggests that if nations focused on key safety measures, about 540,000 lives a year could be saved.

    "The death toll from traffic injuries around the world is far too high," said study author Dr. Adnan Hyder, a professor at the Milk...