Posted by Daniel Clayton in Personal Injury
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, riding a bike without a helmet significantly increases a bicyclist’s risk of sustaining a head injury in the event of a crash. I have seen studies asserting that wearing a helmet can reduce head-injury chances by 85%. Of course, the most significant head injuries are those involving brain bleeds and skull fractures. Intracranial bleeds can cause death or catastrophic injuries.
In 2010, more than 600 people on bicycles were killed in collisions with motor vehicles across the country, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. At least 70 percent of the victims were not wearing helmets.
Other than motor vehicle accidents, bicycle injuries are linked to more childhood injuries than any other product.
Don’t Forget the Helmet!
If you are a bike rider – always wear a helmet. Tennessee does require those under the age of 16 to wear a helmet while riding a bike. (To view helmet laws listed by state, please visit www.iihs.org. This site also provides the statistics for cycling fatalities). Naturally, it is important to make sure the helmet fits properly. If you’re not sure if it fits, then ask a pro.
In Hermitage, I recommend The Bike Pedlar, owned by Kerry Roberts. (http://www.facebook.com/bikepedlar)
In Franklin, a great bicycle shop is MHB bike shop (http://macsharpethbikes.com). A couple of weeks ago, I bought a bike from them - and they were awesome!
Also, you might try Harpeth Bikes (http://harpethbikes.com).
Tags: Bike Accidents, Personal Injury, Catastrophic Injuries
Monday, June 4, 2012
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Study: Tired Drivers as Dangerous as Drunk Drivers
Posted on behalf of Daniel Clayton in Car Accidents
Although a lot of attention is given to the dangers associated with drunk driving, a recent study has found that drowsy driving is just as dangerous.
The Archives of Internal Medicine published a study which looked at data from hospital patients who had been admitted into care for more than 24 hours after getting into a motor vehicle accident. Police reports, blood alcohol levels and patient questionnaires were also analyzed. Specifically, patients were asked questions related to how tired they were before getting in an accident. They were also asked whether or not they were taking any medications.
In this study, a main focus was the effect of a driver taking a medication that carries a warning about side effects that could affect a person's driving ability. Surprising to the researchers was that those on these types of medications actually had a lower risk for causing an accident. The lead researcher said this could be due to the fact that people taking these medications are more cautious since they know about the possible side effects.
However, when it came to being drunk or sleepy, the study found that both factors make a driver at least twice as likely to cause an accident. Of course, this can result in injuries to not only the driver, but also other people who are also out on the roadways.
The study analyzed data from 679 drivers who were in accidents. According to the study, around half of those drivers were the ones responsible for causing the crashes. Of those, it was determined that those between the ages of 18 and 29 who had either been drinking or were tired had an increased risk of being the one to cause an actual accident.
What this means for the general public is that it's important to make sure to obviously never drive after drinking, but to also take driving tired just as serious. This means that if you are tired, take a short nap or drink some coffee - and wait for it to kick in - before driving. Realize, however, that caffeine will wear off!
Additionally, remember things like rolling down the window, turning on the air conditioning or blasting loud music masks how tired you are, but does not take away the risk of getting into an accident.
I had previously written about how up to 31% of Truck/Bus Accidents were caused by driver fatigue.
Source: Reuters, "Sleepy, drunk driver equally dangerous: study," Andrew Seaman, May 30, 2012
Wounded Warriors Amputation Alternative - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports
Wounded Warriors, or others who have had severe injuries to their legs, have a potential alternative to amputation.
The Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis (IDEO) was designed by prosthetist Ryan Blanck at the Center for the Intrepid. The device is made from carbon and fiberglass and is custom fit so that it supports the foot and ankle and resembles an amputee's running prosthetic. IDEO, along with an extensive rehabilitation program, is allowing some wounded warriors who previously had difficulties walking or standing due to lower leg injuries to run again.
Read more about it:
Wounded Warriors Amputation Alternative - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports
The Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis (IDEO) was designed by prosthetist Ryan Blanck at the Center for the Intrepid. The device is made from carbon and fiberglass and is custom fit so that it supports the foot and ankle and resembles an amputee's running prosthetic. IDEO, along with an extensive rehabilitation program, is allowing some wounded warriors who previously had difficulties walking or standing due to lower leg injuries to run again.
Read more about it:
Wounded Warriors Amputation Alternative - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)