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Many people have the sense afoot that rabies is a thing of the past, a storybook disease like smallpox or leprosy. But as a recent case from Calaveras County shows, rabies is alive and well in our region, and people need to take it very seriously. In the month of November alone, seven persons had…

When we think of automobile safety, one of the first things that come to mind is the seat belt. Annually, they save about 14,000 lives. However, they may present a problem. Seat belts are designed to keep, for example, the average 40 year old man safe in the event of a crash. The force required…

Teenagers between the ages of 16-19 have the highest average crash and traffic violation rate over any other age group of drivers. There are more rules and regulations for young drivers and with good reason. The state of California bans the use of cellphones for anyone under the age of 18; even in hands-free mode….

With the holiday season fast approaching, many are thinking of potential toys to gift their young. However, the consumer advocacy group World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. (W.A.T.C.H.) recently released their list of the nominees for the “Worst Toys of 2016,” a list of potentially harmful and hazardous toys.  Toys on the list include Peppa Pig’s…

While tornadoes, hurricanes and floods dominate news coverage, plain old inclement weather is the cause of more fatal car accidents annually than all three combined. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), more than 5,748,000 car accidents occur annually, based on statistics spanning from 2005 to 2014. Of these, 22 percent (roughly 1,259,000) involved bad weather…

California is poised to legalize marijuana in a few days, with polls showing a strong majority favoring Proposition 64. So it’s time to ponder the impact of legalization on highway safety. It is illegal to drive and drink. It is also illegal to drive while high on pot. But are the two things equally dangerous?…

Two study groups with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration this week approved recommendations that commercial truck drivers should be screened for obstructive sleep apnea before being allowed to drive. Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Signs you may have sleep apnea include loud snoring and feeling…

Millions of people switched to e-cigarettes or “vapes” in recent years to continue delivering nicotine, but with minimal danger to themselves. Now they are learning that this “safe alternative” can severely burn or poison them. E-cigarettes are regulated by The Food and Drug Administration – but only when they are sold for therapeutic benefit. For…

Samsung’s Note 7 smartphones are blowing up and causing severe physical and property damage. The company is recalling these phones, including replacement phones, and now it is shutting down the entire Note 7 line. But for those who have been injured by a Note 7 explosion, it’s too late. What kinds of injuries? Most injuries…

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned recently that a spate of infections across the United States and Europe could be attributed to contaminated medical devices used in open-heart surgeries, according to STAT News. At least 11 patients in the U.S. were infected with bacteria from a heater-cooler device designed to maintain patients’…