In theory, we are all riding on the road to zero. We just don't know how we'll get there or if we'll ever arrive. The recently formed Road To Zero Coalition hopes to dramatically reduce the numbers of motor vehicle accidents, injuries and fatalities. The coalition's ultimate goal is to reduce fatalities to zero.
Bounce houses can cause surprising injuries
Party games in so-called "bounce houses" may be more dangerous than they appear for North Carolina kids and families. One accident that hurt a 9-year-old boy is drawing attention to the harms that can result from these attractions. On a Saturday afternoon in California, strong winds sent an inflatable bounce house into the air; it flew a quarter of a mile away, where it landed in traffic on Highway 365. Once the inflatable structure came to the ground, the boy fell out and hit a car on the road.
Study shows that seat belts reduce the risk for liver injuries
Every year in North Carolina and across the U.S., car collisions result in about 2 million emergency visits as well as tens of thousands of deaths. Those who survive crashes usually come away with injuries such as blunt abdominal trauma to the liver or spleen. While a bleeding spleen could be surgically removed as a last resort, the same cannot be done for the liver because it's so critical to life.
4 reasons to report a workplace injury as soon as possible
When you have an injury accident at your job, you may want to try and deal with it on your own and not report it to your employer. You may assume your injury is not that bad, or you may fear retaliation from your boss. However, it is essential to report any workplace injury as soon as possible.
Despite new phone laws, distracted drivers increasing
Thirty percent of states in the United States ban hand-held cell phone use while driving, and 94 percent of the states, including North Carolina, ban texting while driving. Despite all of the legislation aimed at preventing distracted driving, studies show that phone use while driving is continuing to increase. This increase is evident in both how often drivers use their cell phones and the duration of time in which the phones are used.
Ride-sharing companies urged to do more about drowsy driving
Figures from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety suggest that drowsy drivers are involved in almost 900 motor vehicle accidents every day, and a position statement released on April 15 by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine could prompt Georgia residents to bear this in mind the next time they use a ride-sharing service like Lyft or Uber. The professional society is concerned about the work habits of the independent contractors employed by these companies who sometimes work multiple jobs and may not begin their shifts until they have already completed a full day of work.
How to avoid blind spot accidents with trucks
Eighteen-wheelers have large blind spots. Many accidents occur as a result of standard-sized vehicles becoming caught in areas where the truck driver cannot see them. There are ways for both regular drivers and truck drivers to avoid these collisions.
Coalition aims to eliminate traffic deaths by 2050
If the initiatives of the Road to Zero Coalition are successful, fatal traffic accidents in North Carolina will eventually be a thing of the past. The safety coalition, which is made up of 675 members, aims to bring the number of traffic-related deaths to zero by 2050. After several years of decline, the number of motor vehicle fatalities increased by 5.6 percent in 2016. Of the 37,461 fatalities, 4,317 were in traffic accidents that involved large trucks.
