Avoid other high-risk behaviors

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Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Driving while sleep-deprived

Reckless driving and speeding, "road rage"

Driving while using cell phones, texting, or performing other tasks

Motorcycle (and bicycle) riding without helmets

Possession of firearms and guns without proper training and storage

Smoking in bed

Adverse consequences of high-risk behaviors:

Motor vehicle accidents account for 40%-50% of accidental deaths.

Motorcycle accidents are a major cause of serious head injuries.

Firearms and guns account for a significant proportion of deaths among adolescents due to
male suicide and homicide.

Smoking in bed can lead to burn injury and death.

Recommendations (tips):

When driving, use seat restraints on all passengers, both front and rear seats.

Do not drink and drive.

Do not drive if sleep deprived.

Avoid unnecessary distractions and focus on the road and traffic while driving (avoid texting,
talking on cell phones, eating, applying makeup, or other distractions).

Use helmets while riding bicycles and motorcycles. Helmet use reduces deaths from
motorcycle accidents by 30% and serious head injuries by 75%.

Obtain proper training in the use and storage of guns and ammunition.

Use smoke detectors; avoid smoking in bed.

Adverse consequences of excess sun exposure:

Melanoma and other skin cancers

Recommendation (tips):

Avoid sunburns and sun exposure by using adequate skin protection; use brimmed hats,
protective clothing, and sunscreen.

Sunscreens have undergone changes, and the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration)
published new requirements that sunscreens needed to meet starting in 2012. Currently, the
FDA suggests an effective sunscreen is rated as SPF 30 or higher and has both UVA and UVB
protection (protection against ultraviolet waves of types A and B). In most instances, sunscreen
needs to be applied every 2 hours and each time after a person has gone swimming.

Additional tips for healthy living

Although there are many other risky behaviors that may impede an otherwise healthy lifestyle
(for example, working with toxic or radioactive materials, drug addiction, travel to areas with
unusual endemic diseases), these are too numerous to cover in this general article. However, the
reader is advised to visit such topic sites on MedicineNet.com, eMedicineHealth.com or
WebMD.com because most of the specific articles will provide tips to avoid health-related
problems.