Distracted Walking

Increased Injuries From “Distracted Walking” 

According to an article published in Bangor Daily News, safety experts and government officials are saying that distracted walking is becoming a growing problem.  

Though it is not as widely discussed as distracted driving, the danger is present. In city streets and shopping centers there are people walking around, most likely texting with their head down, talking on the phone, playing a video game or even listening to music.  

Reports from hospital emergency rooms have stated that there has been a spike in pedestrians injured and killed in traffic accidents. The reports of injuries relating to distracted walkers treated have more than quadrupled in the past seven years, according to the article.  

The Consumer Product Safety Commission also reported that approximately 1,152 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms in the United States last year due to receiving injuries from walking and using an electronic device. However, this report is considered an underestimate, as many patients will not mention they were using an electronic device at the time of the accident.  

Injury cases include a 28-year-old man who was walking along a road when he fell into a ditch while talking on a cell phone, a 53-year-old woman who fell off a curb while texting and lacerated her face, and a 12-year-old boy who was clipped by a truck as he crossed the street.

Some states, such as Delaware and Philadelphia, are drafting public education and safety campaigns to help pedestrians stay alert. 

A study from the University of Maryland has found that within the last six years, there were 116 cases in which pedestrians were killed or seriously injured while wearing headphones. According to the article, half of the cases involved trains and in a third of those incidents, a warning horn was sounded before the accident happened. 

Pedestrian fatalities have increased by 4.2 percent and injuries by 19 percent, according to the article.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005

Hundreds of Thousands of Strollers Recalled

Because of entrapment and strangulation risks, Peg Perego has recalled hundreds of thousands of strollers. 

According to an article from the Associated Press, children younger than a year old are more at risk at being injured from the strollers when they are not harnessed in. Children can pass through the opening between the tray and the seat bottom and the child’s neck and head can become trapped if they are unharnessed.

The company reported that a seven-month-old girl was nearly strangled in 2006 and a six-month-old boy died of strangulation in a stroller in 2004.

Peg Perego USA Inc. is recalling about 223,000 strollers made between January 2004 and September 2007. The models include Pliko-P3 and Venezia strollers.

For a list of the model numbers being recalled, click here.

The model number on the Venezia model is located on the footboard while the number for the Pliko-P3 stroller is located on a white label on the back.

Those who have purchased the strollers are advised to stop using them and contact Peg Perego for a free repair kit at (888) 734-6020.

Also, Kolcraft Enterprises Inc. is recalling some strollers due to the risk of potential choking and falling hazards.

The Contours Options LT double strollers with a model number of ZT012 are being recalled. The 5,600 strollers were sold between February and July.

Although no injuries have yet to be reported, it has been shown that the front wheel assembly can break, which can lead to a child falling out of the stroller. On the strollers that were made between January and February, the nuts that hold the stroller’s basket support screws in place can detach and become a potential choking hazard.

The model number can be found on a label on the stroller’s rear leg. Consumers should stop using the strollers and contact Kolcraft for free replacement wheels at (800) 453-7673.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005

Melanoma Risk Increases With Tanning Bed Use

More evidence has come to light that shows how melanoma is caused by using indoor tanning beds.

According to recent research, there is a 20 percent increase in the risk of melanoma among those who use tanning beds.  

An article published in MedPage Today state that the risk doubles when sunbed use starts before the age of 35. High usage of tanning beds increases the risk of developing melanoma by 42 percent. 

Ultraviolet tanning units are 10 to 15 times stronger than midday sunlight on the Mediterranean Sea. 

Certain studies relating to yearly tanning bed sessions demonstrate a 1.8 percent increase in the risk of getting melanoma with each visit.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C

602-224-0005

Keep Medications Cool

During the hot summer months, physicians not only warn their patients to stay cool, but also stress the importance of preventing their medications from overheating.

As temperatures go higher than 86 degrees Fahrenheit, it can make many medications useless, as it can affect the bioavailability of the active ingredients in the drugs.

According to MedPage Today, many physicians are seeing an increase in the number of patient visits relating to mental illnesses where mood swings and anxiety are reported. These problems could be from improper storage of medications.

According to the U.S. Pharmacopeia, a medication standards agency, drugs should be stored at room temperature (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit), unless noted otherwise. The agency states that if drugs are stored below or above that, they may not work the way they are supposed to.  

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005

Recall for Vecuronium Bromide for Injection

After findings of particulate matter in a small number of vials, Bedford Laboratories has issued a recall for Vecuronium Bromide For Injection.

The recall is for the 20 mg vial with an expiration date of May 31, 2013 and a lot number of 2067134.

The particulate matter is a potential health hazard to those receiving the injections. The reactions can cause vein irritation and phlebitis, severe pulmonary dysfunction, clinically occult pulmonary granulomas detected at routine autopsy examination, occlusion of capillaries and arteries, local tissue infarction and even anaphylactic shock and death.

This medication is used as an adjunct to general anesthesia, to assist breathing and also to produce muscle relaxation during surgery.

For the lot being recalled there has not yet been any reports of adverse events, and healthcare practitioners who have received the vials have been instructed not to use the product and quarantine it so it can be returned.

Snyder and Wenner, P.C.

602-224-0005