2013 Archive
Vacations are a time to hang out with family and friends, celebrate an occasion, or escape from our hectic lives. Most people never expect to be injured during a vacation, but unfortunately it happens. You may spend more time outdoors, partake in activities like cycling or swimming, or ride ATVs or motorcycles. Families often drive many miles on roads and highways, which always creates the risk of a collision as well.
A recent study has revealed that having a designated driver might be ineffective, because many drink alcohol before getting behind the wheel.
It’s that time of year again – thousands of local teens and college students participate in graduation ceremonies. On behalf of our partners and staff at Edgar Snyder & Associates, I want to congratulate this year’s graduates. We hope you enjoy your parties and celebrations.
Many companies, including well-known brands like Wrigley's, Kraft, and PepsiCo, have started adding caffeine to a variety of food products such as potato chips, waffles, and marshmallows. These products are becoming increasingly popular (U.S. sales reached $1.6 billion in 2012 alone), but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is beginning to raise questions about the products' safety.
Just when medical officials and consumer groups thought the controversies surrounding the dangerous drug Avandia were over, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to reopen the case against the drug manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.
The medical device company Intuitive Surgical has been marketing its revolutionary surgical robot "da Vinci®" by saying it is minimally invasive, leaving patients in less pain with faster recovery. Unfortunately, recent evidence and lawsuits show that isn't always the case.
Recently I saw a disturbing statistic: Motorcycle accident deaths have increased 35 percent since 2003, when Pennsylvania lawmakers repealed the mandatory motorcycle helmet law. I decided to compare statistics from every year since 2003, and what I saw was even scarier:
Statistics show that 10 years after Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a bill allowing motorcyclists to choose whether to wear a helmet, this one choice could be deadly.
As Memorial Day passes and the last day of school approaches, summer is just around the corner. If you have a pool or plan to visit one, please check out our swimming pool safety tips. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children between ages 1 and 4, and knowing what to do in case of an emergency could be the difference between life and death.
Recently the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published a report suggesting that the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for driving should be lowered from 0.08 percent to 0.05 percent. The report has received widespread media attention as safety officials ponder the potential effects.
For many people, Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. It’s a time to enjoy cookouts and outdoor recreation. It’s a chance to spend time with friends and family. It’s NOT a time you want to end up in the ER or suffer a tragedy that could have been prevented.
On Monday, May 20, my partners and I had the pleasure of meeting seven outstanding high school seniors who were selected as the 2013 “Words to be Heard” Scholarship recipients at a dinner held in their honor. This was the 7th year for the contest that began in 2007. Since then, we have awarded 63 scholarships totaling $86,000.
"Life is a highway. The lanes are your choices. Where will you go?" These thought provoking words opened the video created by North Allegheny senior Katherine Zhou, earning her the grand prize in the Edgar Snyder & Associates "Words to be Heard" Scholarship Contest.
Many songs celebrating excessive drinking and irresponsible behavior have given hip hop and rap music a bad reputation. But high school senior Matthew Clark has used rap to convey a very different message, one that has earned him a college scholarship.
Peters Township Senior Lindsay Spinabelli has been selected as a winner of this year's Edgar Snyder & Associates "Words to be Heard" Scholarship Contest. Her winning entry included two PSAs discouraging peers from texting and driving.
"Is it worth it?" This is the question posed by the anti-texting-and-driving video produced by McGuffey High School Senior Jesse Vensel. His video was selected as one of this year's winning entries to the Edgar Snyder & Associates "Words to be Heard" Scholarship Contest.
Drinking and driving is an issue that hits close to home for Gateway High School senior Alexandria Denne, who was selected as a winner of this year's Edgar Snyder & Associates "Words to be Heard" Scholarship Contest.
Bellefonte Area senior Michael Trowbridge was selected as a winner of the Edgar Snyder "Words to be Heard" Scholarship Contest for his video about the risks of texting while driving.
Texting and driving and drunk driving are dangerous risks that teens too often take. That's why Brady Sheehan, a senior at Windber Area High School, has developed "The Safe Driving Haven," an interactive website targeted to peers with important statistics and information.
Medical advances like prescription medications have saved millions of lives. Just about all of us have taken a prescription medication at some point to treat an infection or medical condition.