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29 Results for search "Travel Safety: Misc.".

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Fifteen years after taxi drivers began lobbying for protections against the alarming assaults and murders plaguing cabbies across the country, the federal government weighed in on the issue. In the spring of 2000, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) warned of the dangers of driving a cab -- taxi drivers today are in the top ten occupations with the highest homicide rates -- a...

Air travel is an integral part of modern life. Whether for business, pleasure, or simple convenience, more than 2 million people fly through U.S. air space every day. If you're pregnant, however, there are a few things to consider before you step onto that plane. Knowing when it's okay to fly and how to avoid potential health risks can help you have a safe, enjoyable flight. To fly or not to fly?...

Eager to return home from a business trip last November, Christa Laszczkowski was first in line to board the plane. In the atmosphere of heightened security following September 11, she wasn't alarmed when her luggage was randomly selected for inspection at the gate -- not until screeners began to manhandle her diabetes supplies. "Of the four screeners there, only one of them even knew what diabete...

Healthy eating is all about balance. The right types of foods in the right amounts can help anyone to control weight while lowering the risk of chronic diseases. Balance is especially important if you have diabetes. Proper proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and other nutrients can help you manage your condition and avoid complications. One simple way to balance your diet is to balance your p...

This document will help you in an emergency. Print out two copies and fill in the blanks. Keep one copy with you, and give one to your spouse or traveling companion. Also, be sure to pack your child's prescription medicines (and bring them along if you have to take your child to a doctor or an emergency room) and a first-aid kit so you can cope with minor medical problems. My child's personal inf...

Travelers to Mexico call it Montezuma's revenge, while Mexicans call it "turista" (tourist). It undoubtedly goes by other names in Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and other developing regions all over the world. Whatever you call it, travelers' diarrhea can put a major crimp in your vacation or business trip. Ten million visitors to developing countries pick up this unwanted souvenir eve...

What is gastroenteritis? Many people blame "the stomach flu" whenever they fall ill with nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. But stomach flu is actually a misnomer: The viruses that cause the "real" flu (influenza) usually don't affect the stomach. When doctors speak of stomach flu, they're usually referring to a popular name for a condition in which the digestive tract becomes irritated and inflamed....

At home, you probably have your doctors' numbers posted near the phone and your child's medical records handy in case of an emergency. On vacation, you should be no less prepared. Here are some tips: Before You Go

Use this checklist to make sure you have adequate supplies for dealing with minor medical problems while traveling with children. You can pack the items in a small tote, a lunch box, or a zip-top bag -- whichever is easiest to stow. It's also a good idea to check with your doctor to make sure you're up-to-date on all of your vaccinations. Your doctor can also tell you if you should take along an...

Vacation is the time to chuck the alarm clock and strike out for unfamiliar territory. But your daily grind is your child's security. He thrives on predictability, on knowing what's next. Take away his routine and he's liable to start whining, crying, and clinging. When traveling with a young child, you're better off adjusting your expectations to fit your child's limitations and personality. Here...

Our bodies carefully regulate our internal temperature to a precise degree. In hot weather, we sweat to cool off. In cold weather, we generate additional heat by shivering. However, prolonged exposure to cold can cause the body's control mechanisms to fail. When internal body temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, the result is hypothermia. Hypothermia can lead to loss of consciousness, ca...

They poke, they complain, they have a strange need to use the restroom every 20 minutes, and they have almost no sense of time and distance -- in short, young kids are not always ideal companions on a long car trip. Then again, what fun is a family vacation if you don't take the family? In minivans and station wagons across the country, parents doing what they can to keep everyone safe and sane on...

We have great memories of our family trip to New Zealand, but the time when our one-and-a-half-year-old son started throwing a fit over Tahiti is not one of them. Flying with a toddler can be a trying experience, especially during a long trip. Even the world's most patient, most obedient child will at some point wonder why he has to spend so much time stuck in a little seat. The good news is that...

During two years in the 20th century, a deadly strain of influenza , known as the "Spanish flu," spread across the globe, killing anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of people. It's been many decades since that outbreak. According to some experts, the world is overdue for another. Though it seems to have stabilized at the moment, some experts believe that bird flu, or avian flu, might...

Ever exercised in the mountains? You probably noticed that oxygen can be a little thin up there. At 10,000 feet, for example, the air has only about 70 percent as much oxygen as it does at sea level. Whether you're hiking, lugging a pair of skis straight up a mountain, or simply standing around and taking in the sights, you'll have to breathe a little harder to get the oxygen that your body needs....

In Truckee, California, 25-year-old Timothy Brooks flew into a rage after another car cut him off on the highway. He followed the offending car to a bagel shop where the driver, 47-year-old Robert Ash, had stopped to eat. After yelling at the older man, Brooks attacked him, stabbing him to death with a knife. Brooks was convicted of second-degree murder. In Little Falls, New Jersey, May Lee and h...

Dashing to the mall, in a run-down Chevrolet. Into debt we fall, for the 10th straight holiday. Bill and Bob and Kate, arrive on the next flight. Why can't they go to a Super 8 'stead of crashing here tonight? --To the tune "Jingle Bells" Are your holidays full of sleigh bells, good cheer, warm gingerbread, and Peace on Earth? If so, it may be time to turn off the Claymation television special a...

You've heard the adage that "drinking and driving don't mix." But if you've ever been in a bar around closing time, you know that a lot of people haven't gotten the message. A report from researchers at Boston University estimates that Americans take about 820 million drives each year after drinking. Almost 20 percent -- 159 million -- of those drivers are legally drunk when they take the wheel. ...

You can't judge drivers by their age -- just look at teen-agers. They receive more citations and cause far more accidents than people in any other age group. However, that doesn't make every teen a menace behind the wheel, and likewise, many seniors continue to be perfectly safe drivers well into their 80s. At last count, there were more than 30 million licensed drivers 65 or older, according to t...

About 39 million Americans are now 65 or older. Not only is this segment of the population booming, but today's seniors are generally healthier and more active than ever before. The trend has produced a corresponding boom in travel organizations eager to work with older people. You can now get discounts on hotels, motels, buses, trains, and boats, and, if you like, enjoy a host of travel adventure...

For some of us, the memories of backpacking from one youth hostel to another in Europe conjure up images of idyllic summers past -- full of unexpected adventure and a lifetime away from our workaholic routines today. But even if you've retired and are watching your college-age grandchildren head for Europe, Mexico, or parts unknown, you don't have to feel left behind. Now, for Americans 55 and old...

A theme park may seem like the most family-friendly vacation destination, but that's not always the case. Along with the rides, attractions, and cartoon characters come to life, you and your child might well encounter long lines, high temperatures, and frayed nerves. Still, a theme park can be an ideal vacation spot if you both plan your days and stay flexible. Take your cues from your child: If ...

Jet lag in London, mosquito bites in Madrid, Montezuma's revenge in Acapulco, an emergency medical bill in Nepal -- the perils are enough to scare would-be travelers into tossing away those glossy brochures. But a little knowledge and planning can stave off many a trip's unhealthy side effects. To test your travel smarts, take our quiz. 1. You probably already know that the direction you fly c...

Going on a day hike is a great low-maintenance way to get out of the city, but it still requires some thoughtful preparation. Below is a checklist of all the gear you'll need. When you're deciding what to take, consider the particulars of your trip -- season, weather, location, individual needs -- and customize this list accordingly. Just print out this list and check items off as you pack them. ...

Whether you're going on a short afternoon hike or a four-day backcountry camping trip, it's essential to be prepared for an emergency. We've put together a list of items necessary for your wilderness first-aid kit below. You'll find most of them at your drugstore, or you can buy a pre-assembled kit and add anything it doesn't include. Customize according to your party's needs -- for example, remem...

Not long ago, in the early 2000s, the disease known as "SARS" -- short for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome -- was causing panic in the countries affected by it. Thousands of people had been infected and hundreds killed by the new disease, a little-understood bug that traveled quickly around the globe. Even the economies of those areas hardest hit by the disease -- China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and To...

Do adults really need immunizations? That's right, immunizations aren't just for kids. In fact, it may be time for you to catch up on some vaccines that weren't available when you were younger, or get boosters for vaccines you had ages ago. Also, you might want to get an annual flu shot. Recommendations change all the time and everyone's situation is different, so discuss each vaccine with your ...

On a chartered flight from Cleveland to Las Vegas one July, flight attendants smelled smoke coming from one of the lavatories. Head flight attendant Robert Craig informed the woman who emerged from the lavatory that smoking on an aircraft is a federal offense; her response was a sneering, "Yeah, whatever." Craig then found cigarette butts scattered on the bathroom floor and discovered that the smo...

What are the benefits of bicycling? Even if it didn't do anything for your health, riding a bicycle would still be a great way to get around. Bicycles don't pollute, and they let you see the neighborhood or the countryside at a leisurely speed without a car window getting in the way. And, as you no doubt remember from your childhood, bicycles are just plain fun. That said, they are also serious ex...