Car repairs are a dreaded expense for most families. When you see a TV ad – with a celebrity saying “you’ll never pay for expensive car repairs again,” it may seem like just the thing for you. When you call, a “specialist” confirms what the ads promised and offers to... Read more →

The evacuation of American Airlines Flight 2045 on July 12 at the San Francisco International Airport took longer to complete than the federal standard of 90 seconds. While only minor injuries were reported, delays in the evacuation created an unacceptable risk of major injuries or death for the passengers and crew. Read more →

For the second time in the last few years, I almost hit a pedestrian in the parking lot of our local co-op. A woman standing beside my car, who I saw, and the woman in my blind spot, both yelled at me. They were mad, but I couldn’t see her. I’d carefully checked my mirrors, looked out the back window, and looked over my left shoulder. Read more →

Buying a used car instead of a new one will probably save you money. However, finding, researching, and negotiating to buy a used car online can be difficult. Online sellers advertise they can make car purchases cheaper and easier, but some of them use tactics that could end up costing you time and money. Read more →

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. A big safety issue for parents is the use of off-highway vehicles or OHVs by kids. During 2023, the CFA documented 498 OHV fatalities. Children 15 years and younger accounted for 19 percent of all deaths. Children six years and under continue to make up a sizable portion of the OHV fatalities. Read more →

It’s important to consumers to watch for announcements from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in addition to the agency’s recalls. The CPSC is warning consumers about the risk of fire from Toos Elite 60-volt electric scooters after two people died in a fire tied to the scooter’s lithium-ion battery. Read more →

Do you know your rights on tarmac delays? American Airlines will pay $4.1 million for violating federal laws prohibiting tarmac delays of three hours or more on domestic flights without providing passengers an opportunity to deplane, DOT said Monday. DOT’s investigation found that American kept dozens of flights stuck on the tarmac for long periods of time. Read more →

It’s been the second coldest April in history here in the Seattle area. And, then, there’s the rain, rain, rain. Even hail at times. Since I’m a photojournalist, I like to take photos of our state Capitol when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Many years it’s tricky to get a blue sky with the iconic building. Read more →

In addition to recalling products, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issues warnings about hazardous products. A recent warning from the agency is to immediately stop using black TureClos bicycle helmets. The helmets don’t comply with federal safety standards. They can fail to protect riders if a crash occurs, posing a head injury risk. Read more →

Until this week, I hadn’t heard about a potential safety problem with electric bicycles or “e-bikes.” An article in The Washington Post, “A Child’s Death Prompts Questions About Brake Safety on E-bikes,” caught my attention. A lawsuit has been filed against Rad Power Bikes by the parents of a 12-year-old girl who was killed in an e-bike accident. Read more →