(Salt Lake City, UT) - You can find information about the best ways to keep your family safe, the type of car seat your children be riding in, how to avoid getting hurt in your own home and more on the Utah Department of Health's (UDOH) new Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP) web site.

Injuries, both intentional and unintentional, are the leading cause of death for all Utahns ages 1-44. UDOH data show that in 2002, 700 Utahns, or two people every day, died from injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes, falls, fires, drownings and other incidents. Another 336 committed suicide, and 53 Utahns were victims of homicide. Tragically, most of those deaths could have been prevented. Numerous studies have shown that the vast majority of injuries aren't accidents, but are predictable and preventable.

The new and improved web site offers injury prevention tips for all ages - from the use of car seats and bike helmets for children, to suggestions for fall-proofing homes for the elderly. For example, did you know that wearing a bike helmet reduces your risk of head injury and death by 85 percent? And that one of the best things you can do to prevent injuries as you get older is to exercise?

Web site topics include:

• Motor vehicle safety
• Bicycle and pedestrian safety
• Childhood injuries (Utah SAFE KIDS Coalition)
• Child fatality review
• School injuries
• Traumatic brain injury
• Aging safely
• Suicide
• Domestic violence
• Rape and sexual assault

The site also features the latest statistics on violence and injury in Utah, as well as links to prominent local and national agencies that address these issues.

VIPP staff members research how and why Utahns die, and develop educational programs and materials to give residents the information and skills to avoid injury.

For more information, please visit our site at www.health.utah.gov/vipp, or call VIPP at 801-538-6864. You may also get safety information from your local health department at www.health.utah.gov/lhd/.

4:22:23 PM    

Gov. Olene S. Walker and legislative leadership have bipartisan support to consider delay of implementation of the streamlined sales-tax legislation during a special session on June 28.

"We agree on the concept of allowing small businesses to receive more training on the provisions and to allow more time for software development to aid in implementation of streamlined sales tax," said Walker. "Once we see a detailed plan from the Legislature and get agreement on that plan, we’ll move forward and I’ll issue the formal call."

The State of Utah adopted the "Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement" in the 2003 General Legislative Session (SB 147). Utah entered into the SST agreement with other states to establish uniform standards and to modernize sales and use tax laws so that the burden of compliance is the same for all sellers and all types of commerce.

The measure was set to go into effect July 1, but could now be delayed for up to one year pending the outcome of the session.

4:18:34 PM