Can you be Safe?

Can you be “Safe?”

The term “unsafe” implies that there is such a thing as “safe”. For our proposes we will be operating under the assumption that there are things that are unsafe and to be avoided. The main topics that everyone knows are smoking, drinking, driving distracted, and sex. I will start with cigarette smoking.

Smoking 101 Fact Sheet

Cigarette smoking has been identified as the most important source of preventable morbidity and premature mortality worldwide. Smoking-related diseases claim an estimated 438,000 American lives each year, including those affected indirectly, such as babies born prematurely due to prenatal maternal smoking and victims of “secondhand” exposure to tobacco’s carcinogens.

http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.39853/k.5D05/Smoking_101_Fact_Sheet. Htm

The facts of the dangers smoking to your health is a given but if you look at the Center for Disease control lists the leading causes of death in America include in the top four of six are health problems

that are caused by smoking.

Number of deaths for leading causes of death:

Heart disease: 652,091

Cancer: 559,312

Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 143,579

Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 130,933

Accidents (unintentional injuries): 117,809

Diabetes: 75,119

Deaths: Final Data for 2005, Tables C, 7, 30 PDF 808 KB

This should make it obvious that smoking, over the long term is statistically the deadliest of the unsafe behaviors.

The second most dangerous behavior is drinking alcohol and driving while intoxicated. Drinking

excessively does have associated health risks but the most dangerous thing you can do is to get in a car

with a driver who has been drinking. According to the National Traffic Safety Administration;

In 2006, an estimated 17,602 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes—an average of one every 30 minutes. These deaths constitute 41 percent of the 42,642 total traffic fatalities. Of these, an estimated 13,470 involved a driver with an illegal BAC (.08 or greater). On average someone is killed by a drunk driver every 39 minutes. ^[ref.]

^[References]

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “2006 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment – A Preview.” DOT 810 791. Washington DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, July 2007. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/810791.PDF

By ages 19 and 20, 70 percent of all drinkers engage in heavy drinking, suggesting that the majority of young people are at great risk of making poor decisions that have significant long-term consequences.

Since 1980 (the year Mothers Against Drunk Driving was founded), alcohol-related traffic fatalities have decreased by about 44 percent, from over 30,000 to under 17,000 and MADD has helped save over 300,000 lives. ^[ref.]

^[References]

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration FARS data, 2004

The situation caused the creation of the organization Mother’s Against Drunk Driving as a reaction

to the death of young people in accidents caused by drunk drivers. The Eugene chapter of MADD lists their mission statement;

http://www.maddeugene.org/We’re MADD. Mothers against Drunk Driving.

We’re dads and daughters, sons, and uncles, friends and neighbors. And mothers. We’re all ages and from all walks of life. We speak of love and loss, but also of survival and hope. We are committed to our mission to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.

Since our beginning in 1980, we’ve been working to make our roads and communities safer by preventing motorists from drinking and driving. And it’s been paying off. Our efforts helped reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes and injuries. It is estimated that MADD has saved more than 250,000 lives since 1980. Over 16,000 have been saved by the 21 minimum drinking age laws alone.

^[References]

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration FARS data, 2004

A study says activities like dialing a cell phone while driving triple the risk of a crash.

(CNN) — A new study lends scientific credence to what many already suspect: Drivers dabbing on makeup, chatting on cell phones or eating breakfast are three times as likely to be involved in a crash as more attentive motorists.

The study tracked drivers with video cameras and sensors and offered evidence that inattentive driving causes accidents, and young drivers are much more likely to have such crashes.

Almost 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes happen within three seconds of some form of driver distraction, according to the report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

Reaching for a moving object multiplied the risk of a crash or near-crash by nine times, according to the study. Reading, applying makeup, or dialing a handheld device tripled the risk.

“All of these activities are much more dangerous than we thought before,” Dr. Charlie Klauer, a senior research associate at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

Using cell phones was the most common distraction for drivers, the study found.

And while talking on a cell phone was less risky than dialing, it was a factor in almost as many crashes because it was done far more often, the researchers said. (Top causes of crashes)

Drowsiness is also a problem, the researchers found. They said drowsy drivers are four times as likely to have a crash or near-crash.

The study found that drivers between 18 and 20 were four times as likely to have inattention-related crashes and near-crashes as drivers over 35.

Poor judgment, such as driving aggressively or trying to do something in a higher risk situation, was far more prevalent among the youngest, the evidence showed.

The study said any look away from the road ahead — even a glance in a rearview mirror — could be deemed a distraction.

But long glances at inopportune moments, such as “rubbernecking” near a crash, doubled a driver’s chances of having an accident himself.

NHTSA, Virginia TechTransportation Institute Release Findings of Breakthrough Research on Real-World Driver Behavior, Distraction and Crash Factors

Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes, according to a landmark research report released today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI).
Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, such as cell phone use, and drowsiness.

The background and results of both studies are available on NHTSA’s website under Research and Development at http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-13/newDriverDistraction.html

The term safe sex is somewhat of a misnomer

http://www.aids.org/factSheets/151-Safer-Sex-Guidelines.htmlUNSAFE ACTIVITIES

Unsafe sex has a high risk of spreading HIV. The greatest risk is when blood or sexual fluid touches the soft, moist areas (mucous membrane) inside the rectum, vagina, mouth, nose, or at the tip of the penis. These can be damaged easily, which gives HIV a way to get into the body.

Vaginal or rectal intercourse without protection is very unsafe. Sexual fluids enter the body, and wherever a man’s penis is inserted, it can cause small tears that make HIV infection more likely. The receptive partner is more likely to be infected, although HIV might be able to enter the penis, especially if it has contact with HIV-infected blood or vaginal fluids for a long time or if it has any open sores.

SAFER ACTIVITIES

Most sexual activity carries some risk of spreading HIV. To reduce the risk, make it more difficult for blood or sexual fluid to get into your body.

Be aware of your body and your partner’s. Cuts, sores, or bleeding gums increase the risk of spreading HIV. Rough physical activity also increases the risk. Even small injuries give HIV a way to get into the body.

Use a barrier to prevent contact with blood or sexual fluid. Remember that the body’s natural barrier is the skin. If you don’t have any cuts or sores, your skin will protect you against infection. However, in rare cases HIV can get into the body through healthy mucous membranes. The risk of infection is much higher if the membranes are damaged.

The most common artificial barrier is a condom for men. You can also use a female condom to protect the vagina or rectum during intercourse. Fact Sheet 153 has more information on condoms.

Lubricants can increase sexual stimulation. They also reduce the chance that condoms or other barriers will break. Oil-based lubricants like Vaseline, oils, or creams can damage condoms and other latex barriers. Be sure to use water-based lubricants.

Oral sex has some risk of transmitting HIV, especially if sexual fluids get in the mouth and if there are bleeding gums or sores in the mouth. Pieces of latex or plastic wrap over the vagina, or condoms over the penis, can be used as barriers during oral sex. Condoms without lubricants are best for oral sex. Most lubricants taste awful.

SAFE ACTIVITIES

Safe activities have no risk for spreading HIV. Abstinence (never having sex) is totally safe. Sex with just one partner is safe as long as neither one of you is infected and if neither one of you ever has sex or shares needles (see Fact Sheet 154) with anyone else.

Fantasy, masturbation, or hand jobs (where you keep your fluids to yourself), sexy talk, and non-sexual massage are also safe. These activities avoid contact with blood or sexual fluids, so there is no risk of transmitting HIV.

To be safe, assume that your sex partners are infected with HIV. You can?t tell if people are infected by how they look. They could be lying if they tell you they are not infected, especially if they want to have sex with you. Some people got HIV from their steady partners who were unfaithful “just once”.

Even people who got a negative test result might be infected. They might have been infected after they got tested, or they might have gotten the test too soon after they were exposed to HIV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ar-A8hQXv41) Juno (The Safe Sex Song)

June 3, 2008. Uncategorized. Leave a comment.