Chicago was once known as the “railroad hub of the nation”. Our city was able to grow and prosper as railroads sent people and goods all over the nation. These passenger and freight lines continue to run even today. In the Chicago area, residents have a lot of exposure to trains and train tracks. I live in a suburb with three active freight lines and a commuter rail stop. Sometimes the behavior of the young people in our community stops me in my tracks – ignoring gates that a

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently shared estimates of US motor vehicle traffic fatalities for 2022. The good news is that overall traffic fatalities declined slightly. The bad news is that fatalities have continued to rise in two key areas that affect children – cyclists and pedestrians. In fact, fatalities were up 8% among cyclists and 2% among pedestrians. Cars are much heavier and faster than cyclists or pedestrians so it’s incumbent on drivers to

Lilian Bui is an MD/MPH candidate at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine “Do you wear your helmet when you bike?” I was asked this question during medical school interviews by several pediatricians. As a novice bike rider of only two years, I cannot imagine biking without my helmet, but it was certainly a fair question to ask. According to one study, less than half of adults and children who ride bikes reported always wearing a helmet1. Bicycle-associated in

Benjamin de Young is a Master of Public Health candidate studying epidemiology at Northwestern University. He is interested in the prevention of injury and violence in the Chicagoland area. He works with preventable injury and violence frequently as an Emergency Department technician in the AdvocateAurora Health system. Title: Preventing Chicago Traffic Deaths in 2021 Going out? Grab your mask--but take your foot off the gas. Americans took fewer trips and drove fewer miles i

Since the stay at home order was issued in Illinois, I've been working remotely. Luckily, my home office is right next to the window. As I look outside, I'm seeing more and more kids riding their bikes. Most of the younger kids are wearing helmets, many of the older ones are not. Everyone and I mean everyone (little kids, big kids, teenagers AND parents) should be wearing one when they're riding. They are a really important safety device and can prevent brain injury in many

While families, parents, and children across the U.S. are trying to soak up their remaining few weeks or days of summer, grocery stores are quickly preparing for the next season. Not only are the aisles beginning to fill up with back to school supplies, but orange and black, over-sized candy bags are also beginning to reemerge. Furthermore, as pop-up Halloween stores start to reappear in our local shopping centers over the next couple of weeks, kids will begin to plan what Di

Bike-sharing programs are popping up across the country as a fun and heart-healthy way for Americans to get to work, school, and play. But while bicycles are an excellent and environmentally-friendly way to get around, they also require proper equipment to be operated safely: helmets! Helmets help to prevent the most serious consequences of bike-related injuries. In fact, studies show that helmets reduce the rates of head injury, traumatic brain injury, and even death in both