Back to School! A Few Safety Reminders
School is back in session for Arizona students and that means it’s the perfect time of year to take stock of how we can help prevent vehicle-related injuries among young people. While there are several school-related hazards that alarm parents and children alike, these dangers can be avoided through proper planning and safety awareness. Improving back to school safety requires a collective effort. It’s not just parents, educators and students that should take notice of back to school safety. Drivers also play a part in keeping young people safe during the school year. Let’s focus... Read More
GPS and the Increased Risk for Vehicle Crashes
When Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed a bill in April banning texting while driving for drivers with learning permits and teens in the first six months of driving, it was a small step towards addressing a major problem. At the time he signed the legislation, there had already been over 740 car crashes in Arizona believed to have been caused by distracted driving. Arizona is one of only four states without a blanket ban on texting while driving. It’s clear to safety advocates, lawmakers and drivers that distraction is a serious problem on our roads.... Read More
Nursing Home Air Conditioning: A Matter of Life & Death
In June of 2017, 79-year-old Oralia Parra walked out of her memory care facility, Immanuel Campus of Care in Peoria, AZ, through an unsecured door into the blistering summer heat. She was reported missing by the facility’s staff and her body was found later that afternoon less than half a mile from the facility. Parra, an Alzheimer’s patient, is one of 60 suspected heat-related deaths reported in Arizona since the beginning of this year. In many cases, it’s not always clear if heat was the primary cause of death and numbers from agencies often differ... Read More
Top 5 Water Safety Tips / Boating Safety While in Tucson, AZ
May was National Safe Boating Month, reminding everyone who enjoys time in the water to be careful. Unfortunately, shortly after this month ended, tragedy struck two men near Silverbell Lake, a popular fishing location in Christopher Columbus Park. The two men were killed on June 2, when a friend was backing up a vehicle so they could all pack up and go home. Although this incident didn’t happen on a boat, it still serves as a reminder of the need for enhanced safety awareness anytime you are on or near the water. To stay safe... Read More
Keep Each Other Safe in June, and All Year
The National Safety Council (NSC) has designated June as National Safety Month. While safety, of course, is a concern throughout the year, the NSC takes June to focus on particular issues that threaten the safety of Americans, with a goal of reducing the leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road, in our homes, and in our communities. The NSC will target a specific safety issue for each week during the month. Week 1: Stand Up to Falls: Accidental falls are a significant cause of injury, in particular for older Americans. The... Read More
Tucson Potholes: It’s Not Always Good to Be No. 1
It is generally good to aspire to be number one. Being on top is usually a sign of excellence and superiority. That is, unless you are on top of a list that has negative connotations. Regrettably, Tucson is at the top of the list when it comes to cities with pothole issues. In a report from the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management for Making Action Possible (MAP), Tucson streets are the worst among 11 Western urban regions. This puts Tucson at the top of their pothole index. In fact, the report states that... Read More
Thank You to Tucson, AZ Police
Did you have a nice Memorial Day weekend? Was it filled with hamburgers, laughs, family and friends? While we were gratefully enjoying the freedoms afforded us by those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, the Tucson police department doubled-down on its efforts to protect us. The job of law enforcement is often difficult, lonely and sometimes even dangerous. It means time spent away from family and loved ones, dealing with members of the public who are not following the laws of our state. When it comes to traffic laws, these regulations are meant... Read More
Support the Pedestrian Advisory Committee
As of March 30, the city of Tucson has instituted a review process to consider the status of the city’s 62 boards, commissions and committees. Among those committees being reviewed is the pedestrian advisory committee. The pedestrian advisory committee was created four years ago to address the issue of pedestrian injuries and deaths in Tucson. At the time, Tucson was considered for inclusion on a federal watch list because of the high numbers. Despite the committee’s best efforts, however, the numbers have not drastically improved. It is true that in few cases can real change... Read More
Infrastructure Taxes Up, but Penalties for Hazardous Workplaces Down
Results from the only item on the special-election ballot sent out in April have been tallied, and Tucson voters have chosen to approve Prop 101, a raise of a half-cent on the city’s sales tax. The tax will cost the average citizen an estimated $3 per month and is expected to raise more than $250 million in the course of the next five years, 60 percent of which will be spent on updating the Tucson Police and Fire Departments’ fleet of vehicles. The rest is proposed to upgrade and repair local roads. Previously, Tucson’s sales... Read More
Pedestrian Injuries: A Story that is all too Common in Tucson.
It has become a story that is all too common in Tucson. On March 30, a pedestrian was seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident while crossing West Congress Street. The pedestrian’s name and condition were not available. On March 24, 42-year-old Guthrie Moreno, a pedestrian, was hit by a 1985 GMC Suburban while crossing Craycroft Road north of East 29th Street. Moreno died shortly after being transported to Banner University Medical Center. On March 19, two people, 17-year-old Hailey Newton and Taviel Tyler, 7, died and five others were injured when a 23-year-old man driving... Read More