By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
These are the 15 safest cars on the road, new report says
04e782e27ba6888d887be98925b5b5a2f159be6f3bcc42ea6749e06b27bd781e
Toyota led the way with 10 vehicles on the list. - photo by Herb Scribner
A new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed the safest cars on the market today.

Twelve cars and three SUVs made the list, which included vehicles that passed a new crash test, maintained a good headlight rating and received a Top Safety Pick Plus designation.

To receive the "Top Safety Pick Plus" rating, a car must have sufficient "ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. It also must earn an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention and an acceptable or good headlight rating," according to the report.

Toyota led the way with 10 vehicles on the list. Hyundai followed closely with nine total vehicles.

Kia Forte, Kia Soul, Subaru Impreza and the Subaru WRX topped the list of safest small cars.

Here are a few of the Top Safety Pick Plus vehicles:

Small cars

Kia Forte (sedan only)

Kia Soul

Subaru Impreza

Subaru WRX

Midsize cars

Subaru Legacy

Subaru Outback

Toyota Camry

Large luxury cars

BMW 5 series

Genesis G80

Genesis G90

Lincoln Continental

Mercedes-Benz E-Class (sedan only)

Midsize SUVs

Hyundai Santa Fe

Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

Midsize luxury SUVs

Mercedes-Benz GLC

The list included 47 more vehicles that qualified as Top Safety Pick honorees.

The institute said it plans to expand its list as it tests more vehicles, according to USA Today.

Many of the cars on the list only qualified because of optimal equipment, meaning the basic models dont include all the safety features.

Read more at USA Today.

See the entire list at the IIHS website.

Utahs favorite cars failed to make the Top Safety Pick Plus list. One report said Utahs favorite car is the Subaru Crosstrek, which is also favored in states like Idaho and Oregon. The car did make the IIHS Top Safety Pick list, however.

Another report identified the Ford F-150 pickup truck as Utahs favorite car. No Ford vehicles made the IIHS lists.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
93cbd7a5475cccd1cee701424125d3abaa9b4beaa58d3663208f656cbbbd7661
A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.