Republican lawmakers in Ohio and organized labor interests in the state have historically been at loggerheads over system reforms and proposed changes to Ohio’s workers’ compensation program. Republicans supported major benefit cuts in 1997 that were overturned in a referendum. In 2006, then-Gov. Bob Taft signed business-friendly legislation sponsored by his party that reduced…
Toyota recently announced that it has discovered a problem in the power steering systems of many Toyota vehicles. Since a power system defect greatly increases the chances of a car accident, Toyota has recalled well more than half a million vehicles. The recalled vehicles include the 2001 and 2005 Camry, Highlander, Sienna and Solara,…
A recent story in USA Today highlights the surprising answer: Drowsy driving can be just as deadly as drunk or drugged driving. According to statistics provided by the AAA Foundation, drowsy drivers are involved in one of every six deadly car accidents and one in eight resulting in serious injuries. And what makes drowsy…
The prescription for avoiding a car accident during the winter months in Ohio is fairly straightforward and the same one motorists hear every year: Be prepared for the unexpected and ensure that your vehicle is ready for the upcoming inclement weather. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is busily making its annual preparations for…
Construction and industrial enterprises are not deemed equal, at least in the estimation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which tags some of them “model workplaces” that qualify for exemptions and comparatively special treatment pursuant to the agency’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The program is open to employers that have demonstrated to…
The number of car accidents rises as traffic congestion increases and, following the souring 2008 economy and its lingering aftereffects that have kept more people home in recent years, motorists are once again venturing out in higher numbers on the road. That assessment comes from Bevi Powell, an East Central spokesperson for the AAA…
The precisely worded laws in the various states that apply to texting while driving will likely be under close scrutiny and reconsideration following the recent advent of technologies that allow for voice-activated texting commands. States vary widely in the laws that are currently in place regarding texting behind the wheel. As we noted in…
A study by the American Journal of Public Health found that women who wear seat belts are 47 percent more likely to be injured in a car accident than are men in the same type of crash. The study found that this huge disparity owes to the way safety systems in older model cars…
Fall is the time of year known for apple picking and hayrides. What could be more fun than going on a hayride on a crisp autumn day surrounded by friends? Unfortunately, when dozens of people were injured on a hayride in Erie County recently, what seemed like a relaxing way to spend an October…
Ohio has a lot of military veterans, including a sizable number of service members who are either back home on deployment or have returned permanently from combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans who have experienced battle often suffer from a variety of lingering — sometimes permanent — stresses associated with that experience. Numerous…