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According to AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving statistics, nearly 17% of American adults provide care for someone over the age of 50. Caring for an aging loved one is an emotional and sometimes all-consuming responsibility. The switch from child to caregiver can occur overnight and many adult children are not prepared. You may wonder if your parent is safe living in their own home, or if it is time to make other arrangements for their continued safety and well-being. Experts advise the best approach to evaluating a senior’ situation is a holistic one, considering the person’s overall health, but warn of a few tale-tale signs that your parent may be struggling.

A recent surge of rail accidents occurring at uncontrolled, rural railroad crossings across the United States has highlighted the dangers posed to motorists, pedestrians and railroad workers. Most recently, an Amtrak passenger train derailed in Mendon, Missouri on June 27, 2022. The passenger train which was carrying 275 passengers and 12 crew members collided with a dump truck at approximately 90 mph, resulting in four fatalities and hundreds of injuries. 

The poor quality of care provided in nursing homes and long-term care facilities is a hot topic among US policymakers. During the first year of the COVID pandemic, nearly half of all deaths reported were among nursing home residents.

Major safety changes are happening in the trucking industry. On May 4, 2022, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) posted an advance notice of supplemental proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register which will make speed-limiting devices mandatory on all trucks, buses and multipurpose vehicles weighing over 26,000 pounds. This proposal expands upon a 2016 joint proposal of the FMCSA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) which suggested commercial vehicle speeds be limited to either 60, 65 or 68 miles per hour. The new proposal does not specify a maximum speed and the FMCSA is now looking to the industry for information and suggestions on how operations have changed since its earlier announcement, how many carriers are already using speed-limiters, what top speeds are currently being used, what training is required for maintenance technicians, what tools are required, how long changes will take and where changes will occur.

Motorcycles are a popular form of transportation because they are fun to ride and are more economical than cars. But they are also much more dangerous than cars. As of 2018, there were 153,213 motorcycles registered in the state of Missouri and over 369,214 licensed operators. Even though motorcycles only account for 2.7% of Missouri registered vehicles, motorcyclists make up 10% of roadway fatalities.

A recent tragic event highlights the dangers of semi trucks to others on the roadways. A truck driver named Kevin Brunson was recently indicted in Boone County, Missouri on the charge of 1st Degree Manslaughter for his dangerous driving of a semi in December along I-70 that caused the death of Boone County’s assistant fire chief.