Vehicle rollovers: often deadly and often owing to driver error
For obvious reasons, every type of vehicle accident has the potential to be serious. And that is especially true concerning rollover crashes. […]
Can hypoxia be readily identified and prevented?
How serious of an issue is medical malpractice in the United States? By almost any empirical measure, the answer to that question is sobering, if not flatly troubling: Mistakes made by medical professionals that contribute directly to patient injuries are common and persistent in medical facilities across the country. […]
California road deaths: reversal of downward trend, Part 2
It is certainly food for thought to see the word “only” in a sentence that refers to the 2,739 traffic deaths that reportedly occurred on California roadways in 2010. By any measuring stick, that number would seem notably high and remarkably sad. It equates, on average, to more than seven people dying in motor vehicle accidents on state roads every single day of the year. […]
Focus on California road deaths: reversal of downward trend
It depends on who you talk to. Whether things are getting better or worse on California’s highly varied roadways — that is, from a safety perspective — seems to be, well, variable and just a bit hard to pin down with any certainty. […]
State officials say traffic fatalities again on the rise in California
After several years of considerable improvements in safety, the annual number of traffic deaths is again on the rise in California. In fact, in 2010 there were fewer California traffic fatalities than during any other year since World War II, but there has been a 13 percent increase since 2010. So why is the state seeing an uptick in fatal accidents now? And why do state officials expect the trend to continue? […]
L.A. Road Vehicle Fatalities Show Little Disparity
Whether you’re a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, or, driving a private passenger vehicle, every time you get on the road in Los Angeles, you’re at-risk for an accident. It’s no secret the streets pose a danger to everyone on them, and, the statistics bear this fact out. In fact, City of Angels drivers kill bicyclists and pedestrians way above the national average, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. The reason? It’s simply a matter of sheer exposure, where there’s such density, 7,000 people per square mile, there are going to be more collisions. Injury and fatality crashes are quite commonplace, [...]
L.A. is the second largest pedestrian death city in the country
You’ve probably heard the cliche, “nobody walks in L.A.” Well, the numbers certainly don’t support that misnomer, and what’s worse, the grim statistics demonstrate quite a different, grim reality. Los Angeles is only second the the Big Apple in the numbers of pedestrian deaths. In the latest figures available, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that about 100 pedestrians are killed each year in the City of Angels, that’s not many less than NYC, which had nearly 130 pedestrian deaths. Bicyclists certainly don’t fare much better in L.A., and, if you’re a male, over 20 years of age, and live in [...]
Beware those rainy day Los Angeles commutes
What do you think is the most dangerous and deadly driving condition? Is it snow or ice? Nope; turns out its rain. So if it seems rainy commutes are the most dangerous times to drive, it’s not just your imagination; it’s a statistical fact. A new analysis of federal data shows rain causes more driving fatalities than snow in 39 out of 50 states. In fact, car accidents are the deadliest weather hazard in the United States – whether caused by rain, snow, fog or wind – and kill about 7,000 Americans a year. Over eleven years, California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System and National Oceanic [...]
Surprised? Yet another — and massive — vehicle recall
Is it any wonder that many millions of Americans view would-be exculpatory statements made by automotive executives at press conferences and before congressional bodies with a strong measure of cynicism? How much backpedaling, restating, rationalizing and no-comment responses have American consumers grown accustomed to hearing over the years? […]
A look at the persistent problem of medical misdiagnosis: Part 2
We alluded to the seemingly intractable problem of misdiagnosis in medical facilities across the United States in our immediately preceding blog post. In today’s entry, we spotlight some of the catalysts that notably contribute to diagnostic error. Here’s an initial point to note on that subject: There are lots — truly, lots — of reasons why a wrong medical diagnosis results following a patient exam. A recent article notes some of the more prominent culprits that underlie wrong diagnostic calls. […]
