Wear the Helmet - 85% reduction in Head injuries

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

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

Tags: Car Accidents, Driver Fatigue, Drunk-Driving Accidents, Trucking Accidents

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

Facts on Unintentional Drowning

Posted by Daniel Clayton in Personal Injury

Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning. Of these, two are children aged 14 or younger. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States.

• From 2005-2009, an average of over 3,500 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) each year in the United States. In other words – about ten deaths per day. An additional 347 people died each year from drowning in boating-related incidents.
• About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger. For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.
• Among children ages 1 to 4, most drownings occur in home swimming pools.
• Drowning is responsible for more deaths among children 1-4 than any other cause except birth defects.
• Among those ages 1-14, fatal drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death behind motor vehicle accidents.
• More than 50% of drowning victims treated in the hospital emergency departments require hospitalization or transfer for further care. These nonfatal drowning injuries can cause catastrophic brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent vegetative state.

So, what can you do to help? The main three things are: Lessons -Supervision – CPR.

LESSONS. Quite frankly, I am not a very good swimmer – but I wanted my children to be good swimmers. So, at a very early age, we put them into swimming lessons. Research shows that formal swimming lessons significantly reduce the risk of drowning among children ages 1-4. Start them young.

SUPERVISION. Drowning can happen quickly and quietly anywhere there is water (such as bathtubs, swimming pools, buckets), and even in the presence of lifeguards.

CPR. Seconds Count. CPR performed by bystanders has been shown to save lives and improve outcomes in drowning victims. The sooner CPR is started, the better the chance of improved outcomes. Just last week, 2 jurors in a trial going on in Memphis, Tennessee saved a 6 year old from drowning at a hotel pool.

For More Information, visit The CDC Website on home and recreational water safety.

Give them Three Feet! - Bicycle Safety Laws in Tennessee

Posted by Daniel Clayton

While I was driving home Wednesday through Franklin, Tennessee, I came across multiple bicycle riders out near Arno Road.  I am somewhat jealous of bike riders – because that is a sport I would like to take up at some point in time.

The country roads around the area I live are prime places for the bike riders.  As a result, I have to be very diligent in making sure I am exercising care while driving.  Those bike riders have a right to be on those roads, and I fully support their right to be on the road.

I have had several friends who have been involved in serious bike accidents. Most bike accidents are not the fault of the bike rider, but by the automobile driver.

With the summer upon us, and more people riding bikes, I thought I would post some basic Tennessee bike law information.

three-feet law

In 2007, Tennessee passed a “three-feet” law, requiring automobiles to give cyclists three feet of space when passing them on highways. This became an issue as two men were killed in separate accidents on highways in the state in 2006.

Bicycles are considered vehicles just as automobiles are and, when necessary, may occupy an entire lane of traffic. Cars may not occupy the same lane of traffic if they cannot give the cyclist three feet of clearance space.

In 1994, Tennessee passed a law requiring the use of helmets for cyclists under the age of 16.

The Tennessee Department of Safety has a Bicycle/Pedestrian Program.  More information can be found on that website.

Read more at Trails.com: Bicycle Safety in Tennessee | Trails.com

Tags: Bike Accidents, Car Accidents

Facts on Texting and Driving

Posted by Daniel Clayton in Car Accidents

Did you know…

* Over 28% of car accidents occur when people talk on cellphones or send text messages while driving, according to a study by National Safety Council

* CTIA- The Wireless Association reports that text messaging has increased tenfold over the last three years

* 72% of teens text daily

* Teens text more than 3000 times a month

* According to studies done by the National Safety Council, 81% of the driving population has admitted
to texting while driving

* 37% of cognitive reasoning and ability to respond to driving situations is taken away when you text and drive, giving you 23 more times the risk of being in a car crash than non-texting drivers

* Distracted driving is dangerous

* Approximately 342,000 auto accident injuries each year are caused by texting and driving

* The National Safety Council states that fatalities caused by texting and driving are more than double the amount that those as a result of drunk driving

Texting is convenient, but distracting. And when you drive distracted, you’re dangerous. And when you’re a danger on the road, there’s nothing to “LOL” about.  Please put away the phone while you are driving.

Tags: Distracted Drivers, Car Accidents

Safe Boating Tips! - Enjoy Your Memorial Day Weekend on the Lake

Posted by Daniel Clayton on May 28, 2012

Spent a great day on Center Hill Lake yesterday with Bonnie Cribbs (follow @boatingBonnieC).   My daughter and son enjoyed tubing, and my son did some skiing as well. I even did some tubing and skiing and I am not too sore this morning :)

Bonnie loves the lake. He is one of the most safety conscious boaters I know.

With so many people on the lake this weekend - and with it being the official start of the summer boating season - I thought it would be good to post some boating safety tips.

• Boater's fatigue is real, and it can wear you down. The US Coast Guard warns people about this condition, created by the combination of wind, noise, heat, and vibration of the boat. All these elements can mentally and physically fatigue boaters and subsequently impair their judgment.
• Personal flotation devices, otherwise known as life jackets, are vitally important for everyone on board the boat, be it a canoe or a speed boat. Some states even require children under a certain age to wear life jackets, so if the little ones complain about wearing the big orange life vest, tell them it's the law.
• Boating and alcohol don't mix. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination, affects your swimming and diving skills, and reduces your body's ability to stay warm. Coupled with boater's fatigue, folks on a boat will feel the effects of alcohol faster than they would on land. Plus, driving a boat while intoxicated is illegal.
• The wind can keep you cool and make you forget you're in the sun, but don't forget to reapply sunscreen every two hours and always after swimming. Lube up even if it's overcast since UV rays can still damage your skin through clouds.
• Watch the weather to keep an eye on local weather conditions, and be prepared for electrical storms. Water conducts electricity, so you don't want to find yourself on the open water during a lightning storm.

Let's have a great Memorial day weekend and a Safe Summer boating and enjoying the lake!

Source, http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com