PSR Newsroom

According to news reports, four of the five biggest U.S. tobacco companies have filed a lawsuit alleging that new federally mandated warning labels meant to appear on cigarette packaging violate the companies’ free speech rights. The nine new labels at the center of the lawsuit were recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration…. read more

The mother of a blind man killed after falling between cars of Los Angeles’s Metro Blue Line train—having mistaken the gap between cars for a door—was awarded $17 million in a the wrongful death lawsuit, report news sources. The Los Angeles jury unanimously decided that Metro was negligent in the death of 48-year-old Cameron Cuthbertson,… read more

Findings from a recent study indicate that distractions like talking on the phone, texting and listening to music put pedestrians at greater risk of being struck by a motor vehicle while crossing the street, report news outlets. The University of Alabama at Birmingham study, conducted in a virtual-environment lab, focused on quantifying the dangers of… read more

Johnson & Johnson announced Monday that it is recalling over two million packages of over-the-counter Tylenol brand cold medicine due to an excessive amount of a chemical compound found in the drug, report news sources Subject to recall are almost 2.5 million packages of Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom Nighttime Rapid Release Gelcaps. The cold relief medicine… read more

News sources report, Hyundai plans to launch a customer service campaign to address reports of a steering issue in the 2011 Sonata. The initiative covers Sonata models built from September 2010 through May 2011 that have 18-inch wheels, including the SE and Limited models. The base Sonata comes with 17-inch wheels. The South Korean automaker… read more

The Office of Defects Investigation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into reports of decreased breaking ability requiring increased stopping distances in 2008 Mazda CX-9 vehicles, report news sources. The probe was opened following a submission by Mazda to the NHTSA of data that included reports of incidents ranging from 2008 into… read more

A recent study found that, at least among New Jersey motorists, drivers with longer commutes tend to engage in more unsafe behavior including talking on the phone, texting, and making rude gestures to other motorists, report news sources. The study conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind, and co-sponsored by the New Jersey’s Division of Highway… read more

Several Peterbilt dealers are getting behind the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s safety campaign “Buckle Up In Your Truck” by offering safety tools and discounts on service to truckers, report news outlets. The four Midwestern dealers, three in Iowa and one in Nebraska, are delivering the message to be safe by buckling up through two… read more

In a news release Tuesday, Umarex USA Inc., announced in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the voluntary recall of approximately 9,500 air pistols due to a risk of unexpected firing. Subject to recall are all Browning Mag 800 Air pistols that have a faulty safety, which under myriad circumstance will allow the… read more

In a news release Tuesday, Radio Flyer, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced a voluntary recall of a children’s riding toy due to a risk of the toy tipping over, posing a fall hazard to young children. Subject to recall are approximately 165,000 Scoot ‘n’ Zoom children’s riding toys. The toys… read more

In a news release Friday, modern furniture retailer EQ3 Ltd., announced in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that it is recalling a wooden and glass tables due to breakage issues that pose and injury risk to consumers. Subject to recall are approximately 20 Scarpa table bases that may split and/or collapse, causing… read more

In a news release Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that National Beef Packaging Co., LLC is recalling ground beef products due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. The Dodge City, Kan., slaughter firm is recalling approximately 60,424 pounds of ground beef products including ground beef chubs produced on… read more