Consumer Reports Risk Survey: 48% of Americans Don't Have Carbon-Monoxide Detectors, 24% At Least Sometimes Don't Fasten Seatbelts

YONKERS, N.Y., Feb 02, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- CR's two-part series reveals how often Americans take risks Some 48 percent of Americans don't have a carbon-monoxide detector at home, 24 percent sometimes fail to fasten a seatbelt, and 39 percent often eat raw dough when making cookies, according to a nationally representative poll of 1,000 Americans conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

This is the second part of a two-part series that looks at risky behavior. The first half was published in the February 2009 issue of Consumer Reports.

The poll reveals what behaviors Americans do which they probably shouldn't including: occasionally using the top step of a ladder (31 percent), sometimes having a beer while using a power tool or mower (13 percent), and letting their kids play on a trampoline (43 percent).

Also, the survey shows what behaviors Americans don't do that they probably should including: having a rubber mat in the tub or shower (61 percent don't), changing batteries in smoke alarms yearly (21 percent don't), and eating burgers only well done (32 percent don't).

The full report on how often Americans take risks is available in the March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, on sale February 3 and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

The results are revealing because these behaviors can cause real harm, according to safety experts at Consumer Reports and elsewhere.

-- According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, safety belts saved 15,147 lives in 2007.

-- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that carbon-monoxide poisoning claims almost 500 lives in the U.S. each year.

-- The CDC notes that a common cause of food-borne salmonella infections is under-cooked or raw eggs, often found in cookie dough. Salmonellosis causes an estimated 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness and more than 500 deaths annually in the United States.

-- Based on Consumer Reports' analysis of Consumer Product Safety Commission data, more than 105,000 hospital-treated injuries in the U.S.

in 2007 were linked to trampolines.

The poll revealed men were slightly more likely than women to let children play on a trampoline, and women were more apt to eat burgers well done, fasten their safety belt religiously, and clean lint from the dryer after each use.

Respondents ages 18 to 35 were more likely than older folks to eat raw cookie dough; those 55 and older were more likely to have a rubber mat in the tub or shower.

The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a random-digit-dialing telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. In all, 1,000 interviews were completed among adults aged 18+.

Interviews took place in October 2008. The margin of error is +/- 3% points at a confidence level of 95 percent.

I ate raw cookie dough yesterday

Mach said:

What kind?

I ate raw cookie dough yesterday

Mach said:

me too!!
chocolate chip...
and peanut butter...

and now i just read down the page before i posted...

Consumer Reports Risk Survey: 48% of Americans Don't Have Carbon-Monoxide Detectors I do
24% At Least Sometimes Don't Fasten Seatbelts I always do





occasionally using the top step of a ladder sometimes
sometimes having a beer while using a power tool or mower Nope
and letting their kids play on a trampoline Hell I PLAY on them

having a rubber mat in the tub or shower We do
changing batteries in smoke alarms yearly NYD tradition
and eating burgers only well done I like mine burned










clean lint from the dryer after each use. I do that too

Mach said:

not my mom...
i always check it when i'm there cuz she never cleans it..too many times i've gone back to the laundry room and SMELLED that it needs changing...
like a baby...

peb319 said:

I have OCD

peb319 said:

Mach said:

i really wanna make some GINGERSNAPS

with icing...

peb319 said:

I love ginger cookies. That's a very underrated cookie dough, imo.

I ate raw cookie dough yesterday

Mach said:

I nearly bought one of those ready made doughs choc chip the other day, not to actually BAKE

I misread that comment as "eating raw dookie."

Mach said:

I nearly bought one of those ready made doughs choc chip the other day, not to actually BAKE

ZombieKitten said:

Every dessert I make I eat part of it raw/uncooked. I made brownies last night simply to eat the batter.

I'm the same with cakes and doughs.

hokie said:

It's one of the reasons I never really got into baking bread. You can't eat the dough.

hokie said:

It's one of the reasons I never really got into baking bread. You can't eat the dough.

Not anymore. Indulged in enough of it when I was younger and am lucky that I lived to tell the tale.

Risk is waaay overrated.