January is Teen Driving Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness for the new drivers we share the roads with every day. After all, everyone has to start somewhere, right? The goal of this observation is to promote safety for everyone while teens learn the ins and outs of getting behind the wheel and keeping everyone safe. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2020, 1,885 individuals ages 15–20 lost their lives in car accidents, which was a 17% increase from 2019. If you’re a parent of a teenager about to get their learner’s permit or is already driving on their own, we know just how nerve-wracking this can be. To help relieve anxiety and keep your teenager and others on the road safe, here are some tips to share with your child before they get behind the wheel. Always wear a seat belt. Seat belts save lives — it’s not just about avoiding a ticket or doing it because you’re told to. In 2017, the NHTSA reported that seat belts saved roughly 14,955 lives. It also found if more people buckled up, then 2,549 more people would still be here today. When handing over the keys to your teenager, ensure they buckle up every time. Teen Driving Awarene KEEPING OUR TEENS AND OTHERS SHARING THE ROAD
You might be able to tell when you’re getting sick just by talking — your voice may sound raspy or strained. You can gain insight into a person based on their speech. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health are developing an app that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine if you’re ill — all by studying the voice. Voice data is being collected in five areas of health concerning neurological, voice, mood, respiratory, and pediatric disorders. The team of experts hopes to obtain 30,000 voice samples to improve the accuracy and algorithm of the app so it can diagnose multiple kinds of health conditions and disorders. Dr. Yael Bensoussan, the director of the University of South Florida’s Health Voice Center and the leading researcher on the study, stated that vocal vibrations and breathing patterns can provide tons of information about your overall health. For example, if someone were to speak low and slow, it could be a sign of Parkinson’s disease. Scientists even think they can diagnose depression or cancer by analyzing and studying a person’s voice. So, how would this app work? According to Fox 13 in Tampa, you can speak into your phone, and the app will record your voice and cross- examine it with its voice collection database. While this may be new to some, researchers in Australia developed a voice screening app that can detect Parkinson’s disease and COVID-19. But what makes Dr. Bensoussan’s study and app different than her competitors is that she aims to keep data privacy at the forefront of her research. Scientists and researchers on the team are excited about the future and how this app will help millions of people. Dr. Oliver Elemento, a co-investigator and director of the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, told Fox 13 that “future findings could lead to a revolution in health care, where continuous voice monitoring could alert physicians earlier than currently possible to certain conditions.” A NEW HEALTH APP IN THE WORKS HEY ALEXA, AM I SICK?
It’s important to note that this app is in the early stages of development and is not a total replacement for a medical professional. If you need medical assistance, please visit your doctor!
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2 • www.malloy-law.com
Motor Vehicle Accidents • Workers’ Compensation •
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