1983 legislation making driver training courses mandatory for any person in Quebec seeking a first driver's license had no effect on the risk of accident or the mortality/morbidity rate for newly licensed drivers over 18. However, since 1983 more women under 18 are becoming licensed, and their risks may be increased. (Author/BJV)

Bureau of Labor Statistics' data show that the incidence rate of 15 workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time nursing home workers is well above that for private industry as a whole. Back injuries are most frequently reported. Short tenure and high turnover are correlated with health and safety problems. (SK)

Identifies associations between lack of formal boater training, drinking and boating, and other unsafe boating practices. Results of a survey of 3,042 boaters reveals an unexpected association between formal training and unsafe boating practices. Highlights the inadequacies of boater training programs and urges that training should address the…

Bereavement following violent loss by accident, homicide or suicide increases the risk for complications in grieving. This is the first study to examine a constructivist model of grief that proposes that sense-making, or the capacity to construct an understanding of the loss experience, mediates the association between violent death and…

Two studies investigated how mothers of young children anticipate and interfere in events which may result in injury to their child. The first naturalistic study examined 150 mothers of firstborn children between 1 and 3 years old in Sweden. Mothers were interviewed and instructed in reporting about events which they anticipated would cause injury…

A discussion is presented on the essential need for removing mobility barriers in public recreational areas as well as other sites. It is pointed out that physical disability is not limited to those confined to wheelchairs, but includes persons with temporary or lesser physical handicaps such as limb casts, canes, poor vision, deafness, or the…

Reports a study that examined the incidence of spearing between two high school football seasons, one before and one after a rule change banning spearing. Reviews of 18 game films of a New Jersey team from 1975 and 1990 indicated that, overall, the rule change did not have a favorable impact on the incidence of spearing. (SM)

Noting that 90 percent of serious playground injuries result from falls to hard surfaces, this paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of various playground surfacing materials in terms of cost, climate, durability, aesthetics, and play value. Findings are based on the personal experience of the author, government documents, laboratory…

North Carolina, with a large number of major rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, and 320 miles of ocean shoreline, has a comparatively high drowning rate. A study was conducted to examine drowning deaths that occurred in North Carolina between 1980 and 1984. Data were obtained from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Data from Drowning Abstract…

This publication reports the results of a review of scientific research on office job hazards, survey responses from more than 1,200 office workers in Cleveland and Boston, and in-depth interviews with more than 100 office workers. The report covers the following areas of health hazards for office workers: (1) job stress--physical and…

Investigated enforcement patterns and athlete compliance with the National Collegiate Athletic Association rule requiring the wearing of mouthguards in men's collegiate ice hockey games during one season. Surveys of athletic trainers indicated that the use of mouthguards in competition was not consistently enforced by athletic trainers, coaches,…

Safety education messages aimed at young children should be simple and emphasize direct how-to-cross instructions. "Left-right-left" search messages appear to be effective in counteracting common pedestrian errors of children. Included is a list of 28 child pedestrian safety materials, evaluated and selected from 274 submissions, by the…

A survey, based on site visits to 206 randomly selected playgrounds in school systems in 23 states, notes numerous safety problems. The designer of more than 75 playgrounds offers guidelines that improve the safety as well as the physical fitness value of school playgrounds. (MLF)

Assessed the prevalence and type of firearms in households with children and social correlates of ownership. Predictor variables for ownership included rural residence, fewer preschool children, gender, and race. Data suggest that pediatricians routinely see children in families that own firearms, many of which are loaded and unlocked handguns.…

Three high school students with moderate mental retardation were taught to remove and discard broken materials (plates and glasses) safely from three locations. The multicomponent treatment package used was effective in teaching the skills, whereas follow-up data indicated mixed results. (Author/JDD)