Highlight HEALTH

With crude oil hitting a record high this week, gas prices here in the U.S. are soaring. According to CNN.com, the $100 fill-up has arrived in the United States.

Want to reduce your stress level, spend less money at the pump and do your part to help save the planet? Here’s one of the most simple yet effective tips that will accomplish all three: Slow Down.

Improve Your Financial Health: Use Less Gas

At highway speeds, wind resistance increases exponentially and fuel economy is reduced by approximately 4 miles per gallon for every 10 mile per hour increase [1]. Thus, the faster you drive, the more it will cost you. Consider this [1].

In a typical family sedan, every 10 miles per hour you drive over 60 is like the price of gasoline going up about 54 cents a gallon. That figure will be even higher for less fuel-efficient vehicles that go fewer miles on a gallon to start with.

That’s based on a $3.25 price per gallon, which is less than the current price of gas. So we’re talking more than 54 cents a gallon.

Additionally, if you do the math, speeding doesn’t save you anywhere near the time you might think it does. An average 30 mile commute traveling at 65 miles/hour takes 28 minutes, while that same trip at 80 miles/hour takes 23 minutes. You save a whole 5 minutes by driving 15 MPH faster.

How much money is that 5 minutes worth?

Reduce Stress and Stay Safe

Moderate levels of stress from a variety of sources, including other motorists, traffic congestion and roadway conditions, are common in everyday driving. However, driver stress has been shown to also be influenced by a combination of situational and personal factors, including factors external to the driving context [2].

Not surprisingly, studies have found that life stress is associated with higher rates of accidents and disease [3]. It’s been estimated that drivers who have experienced a recent stressful event are five times more likely to cause fatal accidents than unstressed drivers [4].

If you’re running late, remember that no matter how fast you drive, you’re still going to be late. If you’re under a great deal of personal stress, it’s probably best to avoid driving altogether.

Statistically, people who drive too fast cause or contribute to almost one-third of all fatal crashes. In 2006,13,543 lives were lost in speeding-related crashes [5]. Excessive speed does a number of things:

• it increases the distance a vehicle travels when a driver reacts to a dangerous situation
• it reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around objects in the road
• it extends the distance necessary to stop

Want to reduce your stress level, spend less money on gas and do your part to help save the planet?

      Just Slow Down!

David over at The Good Human has some additional tips on saving money, saving fuel and saving the environment.

References

1. Slow down a little, save a lot of gas. Issue #1: America’s Money. CNN Money. 2008 Mar 27.
2. Hennessy et al. The Influence of Traffic Congestion, Daily Hassles, and Trait Stress Susceptibility on State Driver Stress: An Interactive Perspective. Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research 5(2);162–179
   doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9861.2000.tb00072.x
3. Stuart and Brown. The relationship of stress and coping ability to incidence of diseases and accidents. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 25(4), 255-260. 1981.
   View abstract
4. Brenner and Selzer. Risk of causing a fatal accident associated with alcoholism, psychopathology, and stress: further analysis of previous data. Behav Sci. 1969 Nov;14(6):490-5.
   View abstract
5. Traffic Safety Facts 2006 Data. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration National Center for Statistics and Analysis. 2006.

• Think Bigg

  A non-profit blogsite dedicated to bringing information and inspiration to those who care about the people, communities, culture and the world in which we live.

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I’ll never forget the Fourth of July when I saw a little girl get burned by a sparkler. Nobody, including her parents, expected it to happen. After all, sparklers are the “safe fireworks” for little kids, right? Not true, as you’ll read below.

Here are some important safety precautions for you and your children this Fourth of July.

• Use common sense

  Fireworks and sparklers should be used with caution. In the U.S. in 2005, four people died and an estimated 10,800 people were treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries [1]. Surprisingly, 95% of emergency room visits involved fireworks that Federal regulations permit consumers to use; the highest injury rates were for children aged 10 to 14 [2].

• Say no to sparklers

  It’s not safe for children to hold sparklers. Between June 18 and July 18, 2005, there were just as many injuries due to sparklers as there were due to rockets [1] !! Sparklers can burn as hot as a match and can cause clothing to catch on fire.

• Don’t allow young children to use fireworks

  The risk of fireworks injury was nearly three times as high for children ages 10-14 as for the general population [2]. Keep fireworks out of the hands of children.

• If you’re going to use fireworks

  Fireworks are associated with serious injuries, including blindness, third degree burns and permanent scarring [3]. If you’re going to use fireworks, take preventive measures to reduce these risks.

  • Don’t use fireworks and sparklers indoors.
  • Obey local laws. If fireworks aren’t legal in your area, don’t use them. Not only are you breaking the law, but you run the risk of injury and, if you have children, aren’t setting a good example. Your children should look to you as a role model.
  • Light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from homes, dry leaves and brush and flammable materials.
  • Always have water, such as a garden hose or bucket, nearby.
  • The adult lighting the fireworks should always wear eye protection.
  • Fireworks and alcohol aren’t a safe combination. Just like a designated driver, have a designated shooter that hasn’t been drinking.
  • Ensure that other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
• Other hazards

  In addition to fireworks, there are other potential hazards on the Fourth of July has other potential hazards for children that include sunburn and dehydration. Make sure your children wear sunscreen and drink plenty of water. Take the time to review the Highlight HEALTH Summer Survival Guide.

• Parade safety

  Perhaps one of the biggest worries for parents is that small children will wander away. Hard-to-negotiate crowds can separate children from their parents. To prevent this, carry small children or push them in a stroller. If you have older children, agree on a place to meet if you become separated.

I hope everyone has a fun, safe Fourth of July holiday.

References

1. Greene and Joholske. 2005 Fireworks Annual Report: Fireworks-Related Deaths, Emergency Department-Treated Injuries, and Enforcement Activities During 2005. Washington (DC): U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. 2006 June.
2. Hall JR. Fireworks. Fire Analysis and Research Division, National Fire Protection Association. 2007 April.
3. Witsaman et al. Pediatric fireworks-related injuries in the United States: 1990-2003. Pediatrics. 2006 Jul;118(1):296-303.
   View abstract