I posted an article on the Legal Examiner Reminder: Wear Pink Tomorrow to Combat Bullying
as a reminder about Halifax Regional School Board’s Stand Up Against Bullying Day.
I will be wearing pink tomorrow and I hope you will too.
All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are four-wheeled motorized rugged vehicles usually operated off-road. They are particularly popular in rural communities and are frequently operated by children of all ages. They are popular recreational vehicles throughout Canada. But a local physician is hoping to change that.
Hundreds of Children Injured Every Year
The Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) recently called for a ban on children driving ATVs. Dr. Natalie Yanchar, a surgeon at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, says she has seen too many broken bones and deaths from ATV accidents. A study authored by Dr. Yanchar reported that an average of 450 children under the age of 15 are hospitalized every year from injuries caused by ATV.
Brain Injury a Common Problem
The plight of Sidney Crosby put the issue of sport induced concussions in the spotlight last year.
There are more than 300,000 sport and recreation related traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the United States every year.
It’s that time again! Tomorrow is the first day of school and lots of eager (or not so eager) kids will be heading back to school.
As an injury lawyer in Nova Scotia, I have dealt with countless tragic cases where children have been injured, many of them in and around schools. Here are a few tips for parents to make sure the first day back (and every other day during the school year) is a safe one.
Whichever method your children use to get to school there are a number of safety considerations to remember.
Most Canadians don’t realize that every single vehicle sold in Canada has a blind zone behind it. Depending on the make and model of the vehicle that blind zone is anywhere from 10 feet to up to 50 feet.
When asked, most people guess that the blind zone is 5 or 6 feet.
CBC news recently did a story on the issue and I thought I would post the video because it visually demonstrates the problem.
Spontaneous Acceleration
Remember the allegations of spontaneous acceleration that Toyota vehicles had to deal with a few years ago? They ended up recalling 3.8 million vehicles. It was a public relations disaster for the company.
Is Ford facing a similar problem? Worse, has the company been trying to hide a dangerous problem it has known about for seven years?
Police in Toronto are investigating a heartbreaking death as a result of a back-over accident that happened on the weekend.
A father dropped off his wife and eight-year old son outside Toronto’s Ontario Science Centre. While backing-up to leave the parking lot the father struck his wife and son. Tragically, the eight-year old boy died of his injuries. Media reports indicate the child’s mother is in serious but stable condition in the hospital.
This terrible accident is evidence of a hidden problem. One that most Canadians aren’t even aware exists.
It seems like a day doesn’t go by this summer when I don’t have to read about another needless traffic fatality on Nova Scotia highways. Yesterday media reported that a 17 year old boy died Sunday night after a single vehicle crash on Little Harbour Road in Pictou county. Today Cape Breton Regional Police reported the death of a young man in a car crash that happened just before 9 a.m. in River Ryan, near New Waterford.
Increase in Traffic Deaths
Traffic fatalities in Nova Scotia have seen a huge increase over the last year. As of July 10 there had been 41 car related deaths in Nova Scotia. These statistics don’t include the 6 fatalities reported over the last two weeks alone!
I posted an article today on the Legal Examiner: Childhood Memories Show Lasting Effects of Bullying – More needs to be done
I thought I would follow up with a list of resources for parents and the public.
Nova Scotia is “Canada’s Ocean Playground”. This week I watched with interest the news reports of the annual sailboat race from Halifax to Saint-Pierre. Anyone who lives in Halifax knows that sailing and powerboating form a big part of our summer recreation activities.
However, as boating and personal watercraft become more popular, accidents, injuries and fatalities have increased as boaters who have little experience take to the water.
A few simple tips and some common sense preparation can ensure that your time spent on the water is relaxing and fun.
