Alison Young Investigates

Watching out for yourself in 2009

Synopsis: This article gives advice from leading consumer and health experts on issues ranging from safeguarding credit to checking out medications, and gives detailed resources on how to do it yourself. Wise tips for 2009 - or for any year

What germs are sick airline passengers carrying?

Synopsis: This article, which involved examining thousands of paramedic runs at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, revealed that many airline passengers are so ill with vomiting, diarrhea, fevers and coughs they require the aid of EMS. It also reveals that airlines rarely comply with federal regulations requiring that they notify the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they transport sick passengers.  Some passengers carry more than luggage

Dangerous toys come in many forms

Synopsis: Most toys and other products recalled due to safety hazards are never returned or destroyed. This article analyzes the hazards in more than more than 60 toy recalls announced in 2008 and reveals some still being offered for sale.  Who's minding the kids' playthings?

Escalator use causes devastating injuries

Synopsis: An examination of hundreds of injury incident reports filed with Georgia regulators reveals that every week in metro Atlanta people are badly injured riding escalators. They fall and crack their heads, they get their clothing or luggage tangled in the machinery. And in the worst cases, they suffer amputating injuries when the soft soles of their shoes are heated by friction and drawn into a gap along the side of the moving stairs. While other news media have focused on recent injuries associated with Crocs-like shoes, this article reports that families have been petitioning the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for safer escalator design since 1978 - long before Crocs were invented. Escalators' hidden dangers

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