Year: 2013

With Christmas and the New Year right around the corner, millions of Americans are planning visits with friends and family. The vast majority of holiday travelers go by passenger vehicle or bus. Last year more than 90 million people hit the roadways during the holiday season, and most traveled 50…

Local televisions station KCTS recently aired “Latinos: The Changing Face of Washington,” an in-depth documentary chronicling the history of Latinos in the State of Washington. SeattlePI.com columnist Joel Connelly wrote about the documentary, which was produced and narrated by Enrique Cerna, a descendant of the first wave of Hispanics to…

If you live in or visit Yakima, Washington, you are undoubtedly aware of the proliferation of billboards and digital signs around the city. Yakima itself welcomes visitors with a sign visible from Interstate 82 declaring the city as the “Palm Springs of Washington.” Many cities impose restrictions on billboards and…

By now, everyone should know that car seats and seatbelts lower the risk of serious injuries to children in motor vehicle accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released statistics that remind us just how important car seats and seatbelts are to our children. The NHTSA, which is part…

A recent series of fatal motorcycle wrecks in the State of Washington serves as a sad reminder of the need for both motorcyclists and drivers of other vehicles to remain mindful of safety. In the last week of September, four people lost their lives as a result of motorcycle accidents…

Unfortunately, road rage is on the rise, meaning you are likely to encounter a driver with a full-blown case of road rage. Knowing how to respond may prevent a bad situation from getting worse. “Road rage” is a term that does not have a single, universally accepted, definition. As a…

The 5 to Drive campaign encourages parents to discuss five critical driving practices with their children in an attempt to reduce accidents involving teenagers. The campaign includes a checklist of five driving-related topics to discuss with their children: No cell phone use or texting while driving No extra passengers No…

Burn injuries can vary considerably in severity. Minor burns, such as those caused by spending too much time in the sun, are sometimes little more than a minor irritation, while severe burns can leave an individual’s life in danger for months or even years after the injury occurs. Burns can…

An electric powered Tesla Model S caught fire recently in Kent, Washington, reviving concerns about the safety of electric-powered vehicles. According to the vehicle’s manufacturer, the fire occurred when the car came into contact with “a large metallic object in the middle of the road.” The Washington State Patrol reported…

A series of pile-ups led to a 14-mile long traffic jam and numerous injuries during the morning rush hour Oct. 25 on Interstate 5 in Seattle. According to the Associated Press, an investigator said a speeding driver who was following another car too closely caused the initial collision, which involved…