Drivers venturing across the 205 bridge during the January 2017 freeze were surprised to find Clark County roads clear and passable while Portland struggled with slippery layers of packed ice and snow. The Washington Department of Transportation (WDOT) brought down eight plows and road salt to assist with snow and ice removal, but results seemed not…
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine have recently discovered that concussions can accelerate Alzheimer’s disease-related deterioration and cognitive decline in people who are already at risk of the disease. Scans performed on 160 U.S. veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, some which had suffered traumatic brain injuries at least once during their military…
Traditionally, if you were visiting Oregon from a northern state having never driven in a Portland winter, you would have been shocked to discover that the city took a firm stand against using rock salt on roads, especially while making the transition from neighboring California, Idaho, or Nevada. While salt is widely used throughout the…
Winter without snow just doesn’t seem right to those who aren’t familiar with the very real disruptions a white winter causes. Tourists who have never seen snow before don’t know about icy roads, freezing rain, and staying indoors for days on end. Just one good snow storm can be enough to keep an entire town locked up…
Following dozens of reports of devices that have combusted, over-heated, or caught fire, the FDA has finally announced that it will take action to address e-cigarette safety concerns. E-cigarettes were first introduced into the market in 2007, and have been gaining in popularity as an alternative to regular cigarette smoking. An e-cigarette is an electrical…
There is a 7:1 size differential between cars and bicycles, so drivers may not see you to avoid a collision, or if they see you they may not know that, as a cyclist, you have the same right to use the roadway as they do. With rights come responsibilities. Section 814.400 of the Oregon Revised Statutes…
The number of commercial trucks on Portland roads has ballooned since the closing of the Port’s main terminals. Although trucks are vastly outnumbered by cars, the sheer size and weight of just one 18-wheeler or semi truck on Portland roads likens them to a trail of woolly mammoths on wheels. In fact, to be more precise, you…
As the month of December wanes we quickly approach another fireworks holiday. Fireworks are used around the world to celebrate everything from heritage to Christmas, but in the U.S. we eagerly await Independence day and December 31st. New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world are filled with plenty of festive gunpowder and enchanting displays of…
Congress in December 2016 showed that it favors deregulation over safety when it blocked Obama administration safety rules aimed at keeping tired truckers off the roads. It also pledged to try to block state laws that require additional rest breaks for truckers beyond what federal rules require when it meets in January. Congress Rolls Back…
With no response to its January 13, 2016 petition to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require cars to use Automatic Braking System (AEB), Consumer Watchdog, the Center for Auto Safety and Joan Claybrook, former NHTSA administrator and president emeritus of Public Citizen filed suit on November 23, 2016. The lawsuit claims the defendants violated…