So far, more than 46 million shrapnel-shooting Takata airbag inflators have been recalled by more than a dozen automakers. With more airbags being added to the recall list, it might come as no surprise that carmakers are having a difficult time keeping pace with repairs. But a new report suggests that the replacement of the most dangerous airbags is taking too long, and millions are still likely to be waiting for a fix as a year-end deadline comes and goes. [More]
Quality & Safety
Using Your Phone While Crossing The Street In Honolulu Could Cost You As Much As $99
By 8.1.17
Looking at one’s phone while walking might not seem like too difficult of a task, but every once in a while it proves to be a painful endeavor, take the woman looking at her phone who tripped over a door in the sidewalk and fell into a utility room. The city of Honolulu wants to prevent these types of incidents by becoming the first major city in the U.S. to make it illegal to text while crossing the street. [More]
Your Tank Of Colorful Coral Could Pose A Toxic Danger
By 7.28.17
Installing a massive water-filled tank full of colorful floral and different species of fish might sound like great way to give your home that enormous little touch of pizzazz you always envisioned. Or could prove to be a dangerous addition, as some species of coral can emit deadly chemicals. [More]
FDA Considering Lowering Level Of Nicotine Allowed In Cigarettes To Reduce Addiction
By 7.28.17
Could your future cigarette purchase come with a little less nicotine? It’s possible, as the FDA revealed today a new multi-year roadmap intended to protect kids and reduce tobacco-related disease and death. [More]
Honda Investigating Another Death Possibly Tied To Takata Airbag
By 7.28.17
Federal safety regulators and Honda have opened investigations into what could be the 13th U.S.-based death linked to recalled shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags. [More]
State Fair Ride Breaks In Pieces, Killing One Person And Injuring Seven More
By 7.27.17
Thrill-seekers flocked to the Ohio State Fair for its opening on Wednesday night. Unfortunately, the evening turned tragic as one “aggressive thrill” ride broke to pieces with passengers still on it, killing one rider and critically injuring several others. [More]
Ford Recalls 117,000 Vehicles Over Possible Seatbelt Defect
By 7.27.17
Seatbelts can prove to be a literal lifesaver in the event of a crash, but they have to work properly for that to happen. For this reason, Ford is recalling nearly 117,000 trucks and SUVs. [More]
Investigation Shows Chipotle Norovirus Outbreak Probably Caused By Sick Employee
By 7.26.17 — Updated: 7.30.17
After its food safety crisis in 2015 and 2016, Chipotle implemented new procedures, including everything from blanching produce to shutting down and sanitizing a restaurant if anyone, employee or customer, vomits inside. The problem, it turns out, is that it doesn’t matter how good your protocols are if stores don’t actually follow them. [More]
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Papaya Lovers, Beware: There’s A Salmonella Outbreak Going Around
By 7.26.17
If you’ve bought some nice juicy papayas and are preparing to cut them up for your next snack, you’ll want to pay attention to this: There’s a salmonella outbreak linked to a certain brand of papayas — but the company that sells them isn’t sharing that information with customers. [More]
Colorado Makes It Legal To Break Into A Hot Car To Save Kids, Pets
By 7.26.17
When there’s a living being stuck inside a hot car on a sweltering day, sometimes desperate measures are necessary — helpful bystanders may have to break into that vehicle to save a child left behind, or even a pet. One state has now made these kinds of rescue efforts legal. [More]
Good News From The IRS: Tax Refund Identity Theft Is Way Down This Year
By 7.26.17
This tax season, you may remember Consumerist reminding you to file as early as possible, especially if you were expecting a refund or receiving certain tax credits aimed at lower-income Americans. New anti-fraud measures taken by the Internal Revenue Service and better awareness of the problem have apparently helped: The IRS reports that tax refund fraud has decreased. [More]
Here’s The Latest On Chipotle’s Foodborne Illness Nightmare
By 7.25.17
Between rodents falling from the ceilings to customers falling ill after eating at the fast casual chain, the last few weeks haven’t been exactly kind to Chipotle, and they don’t appear to be getting any better: Another customer has tested positive for norovirus after eating at one of the company’s Virginia locations. [More]
Why Are People Paying So Much For Used Toyota Tacomas?
By 7.25.17
When shopping for a used car, there are a number of factors that can contribute to the price you’ll pay: type and brand of vehicle, model year, wear-and-tear, and mileage. Typically the more years and more miles a car had meant you’d pay a lower price. But that’s apparently not the case for one truck: The Toyota Tacoma. [More]
Undercover Investigation: Boutique Pet Store Hid Sick Puppies’ Illnesses From Buyers
By 7.25.17
What was your dog’s life like before you brought him home? If you bought him from a pet store in New York and he was sick, the people selling him are supposed to disclose his full health information. But according to a recent undercover investigation conducted by the Humane Society, one boutique pet shop in Manhattan has been covering up illnesses among its high-priced pooches. [More]
Body Health Atomic And Xplode Recalled For Banned Appetite Suppressant
By 7.25.17
Sibutramine, marketed as Meridia, was a weight loss drug on the market in the United States from 1997 to 2010, pulled from the market because it was linked to heart problems in patients. The drug is still available, it turns out: You just have to buy certain “herbal” weight loss supplements. Two of these supplements have now been recalled, since they contain undeclared prescription drugs. [More]
Don’t Use Social Media Behind The Wheel: 9 People Per Day Are Killed In Crashes Involving Distracted Drivers
By 7.24.17
Distracted driving comes in many forms, from talking on the phone, to messing with a navigation system, or posing for selfies on the latest social media app. Over the weekend, the latter distraction, combined with another dangerous driving hazard — drunk driving — to claim the life of a teen in California. [More]
11 States Accuse Trump Administration Of Illegally Delaying Safety Regulations For Chemical Plants
By 7.24.17
The Environmental Protection Agency recently decided to put a nearly two-year delay on new rules intended to reduce the number and damage resulting from accidents at U.S. chemical plants that can result in deadly explosions, fires, and the release of poisonous gas. But the attorneys general for 11 states say the Trump administration has overstepped its authority with this decision. [More]
Squirrels Don’t Usually Have Rabies, But Here’s What To Do If You Are Bitten
By 7.24.17
Brooklyn has been gripped with the news of an aggressive, possibly rabid squirrel on the loose in a major park, attacking locals and prompting concerns of infection. So what do you do if you’ve been bitten? [More]
