Cell Phones Cause Auto Accidents

Cell phone use causes an increasing number of auto accidents every year. It's now considered a primary offense in Washington state and will cost you $124 if ticketed. This blog post from Bellevue-based Rubinstein Law Offices nicely summarizes the dangers that distracted drivers face while using their cell phones:

"Being distracted while driving a vehicle is a dangerous, yet commonplace occurrence. In fact, it is one of the top reasons car accidents occur. According to the Seattle Times in 2009, 6,000 people were killed and over 500,000 injured in car accidents due to distracted driving in the US.

In 2009, Washington state legislators responded to the epidemic rise in distracted driving related accidents and passed a series of laws that have made it illegal to drive while talking, text messaging, or otherwise operating a cell phone, imposing a traffic fine of $124.00.

They have also recently increased the level of offense from a secondary offense to a primary offense.

This means drivers can now be pulled over for visibly handling a cell phone while driving; and the police are not just enforcing the new law on highways. Police are heavily patrolling local roads throughout Seattle, Bellevue and the surrounding areas too. However, Washington lawmakers have made it legal for drivers to talk “hands free” by using approved Bluetooth ® devices.

Taking your eyes off the road for even an instant can endanger your life and the lives of those around you. When driving, refrain from engaging in distracting activities such as using a cell phone or turning around to talk to people in the back seat. So whether you are commuting on Interstate 405, dragging along Bellevue Way, or simply driving to the grocery store, by paying attention to the road you help keep Washington’s roads safe."

Traumatic Brain Injuries - A Growing Concern for Vets

This article on traumatic brain injuries (TMIs) is one of many that have already been written, and will be written in the future because it is a huge concern for the Army – and our country.  One of the grim benefits for society is that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, due to the extensive use of IEDs, will force the Army to learn a great deal more about non-catastrophic TBI.  For every case of a person with a crushed skull or brain-penetrating wounds there are probably 100 cases where the patient walks, talks and looks normal, but whose brain is injured.  While the medical providers classify these TBIs as either mild or moderate, they are anything but that for the patient.  It has become a not-so-hidden epidemic among service men and women in war zones.  Not too long ago the Army began installing dosimeters in combat helmets, devices that measure the rate at which the head is accelerated in high energy events.  The Army has also been working with a new blood test that will produce signs of acute brain injury, signs that can only be detected within the day or two after the event.  America is going to have to embrace hundreds of thousands of veterans who were brain-injured in explosions, and find the best ways to help them function in their civilian lives.  It is going to be a major health issue for our country for a long time to come.