Unfortunately, I witnessed a hit and run accident once. I was walking along a very busy road and saw a cyclist hit by a black sedan from behind. The cyclist fell to the ground and the car quickly sped off. I was so shocked that I failed to do the most important thing: look at the car’s license plate.

I spoke to a few state troopers last week who passed along a few great tips should you find yourself in a hit-and-run incident (either as a victim or witness):

• Do not chase the other vehicle – it could be very dangerous. You don’t know why they sped off…they could have just robbed a bank, for instance.
• Grab a pen and paper and start writing down details: a description of the other car, license plate number, direction the car went in (if known), how many occupants were in the car, what they looked like and so on.
• Start taking pictures with your camera phone. Remember to turn on the “date/time” feature on your camera before snapping shots. This way you can prove that the photos were taken at that time.
• Check out the damage on your car: look for any signs of paint, broken glass or car body parts near or on your car. These could be valuable clues for the police.
• If your accident happened close to home, pay attention to the cars in your area. If you notice a car with damage that might match up with your own car, write down the license plate number of that car and give the police a call.
• More tips on what to do after a hit and run accident…

Over 6 million car accidents happen each and every year. Chances are - at some point in your life - you’ll probably be involved in one.

Once again, here’s our brilliant expert, Minneapolis Police Dept.’s Officer Ron Reier, with steps on what to do immediately after a car accident:

An estimated 49 million adults in the U.S. indicate that they have been told that their personal information had been lost, stolen or improperly disclosed over the past three years, according to a poll conducted by Harris Interactive.

Has this happened to you - or are you worried it might? Today’s neat site is definitely one to bookmark…just in case.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer organization, is your one-stop-shop for detailed info on any privacy related issue: identity theft, financial security, medical records, telecommunications, direct marketing, public & government records.

Right now, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse is highlighting tax time: Your W-2s and 1099s hold valuable pieces of info (SSNs, address, name of your employer) that could be used to steal your identity. Read more…

• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
• Other identity theft prevention resources…

Have a site to recommend? Post it in the Comments below!

Ever feel like you can’t understand what your doctor is saying? Well, you’re not alone.

According to a recent New York Times article, “National studies have found that ‘health literacy’ is remarkably low, with more than 90 million Americans unable to adequately understand basic health information.”

Visiting the doctor doesn’t have to be a communication struggle. Here a few quick hints to get the most out of your next appointment:

• Bring a notebook and a pen to take notes. Consider bringing along a tape recorder to record your visit so you can replay the conversation later.
• Also, bring a list of your medications, your symptoms and write down any questions you would like to ask the doctor.
• Ask the doctor to slow down or simplify their language.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions about things you don’t understand.
• Although you may be in pain or may be kept waiting for a while, be polite. A respectful attitude may help improve your relationship with your doctor and their staff.
• More tips…

Interested in more info? Head to our Stories section to read what others are saying.

College is a huge transition time - moving away from home, taking care of yourself and learning important skills. So to find the best tips, I turned our helpful interns (a current student and a recent grad)!
So without further ado, here are their top 5 tips for college living:

1. When you’re visiting…

• Ask to see the smallest dorm room—that way, you won’t be unpleasantly surprised when you arrive on move-in day and find that your room isn’t as big as you thought.

2. Look at work-study programs.

• Try to locate your college’s student work website during the summer so that you’ll have a job lined up when you come to campus in the fall.

3. Check and see what banks are located near your college.

• If your current branch isn’t available within a reasonable distance of campus, you might want to start up an account with the local bank so that you’ll be able to cash checks/make deposits/withdraw funds easily.

4. Do a complete physical check-up before you start college.

• Schedule your appointment early (towards the beginning of the summer) to make sure that you get your physical done on time. This is especially important if you plan on being involved in collegiate athletics, or if you have a special physical need that the college needs to be aware of.
• Also, check to see if your health insurance is accepted by the hospital closest to campus…if you had to have an emergency appendectomy for instance, would you be covered?

5. Shop around for books.

• Try to find used books in the bookstore, or look online.
• Check your syllabus to see how often you’ll actually use a textbook in a class. If you’ll be using it every day for problem sets, etc., it might be worth it to buy the book. If you only use it once in a while, however, it might be to your advantage to simply check the book out from the library.

Want more? Head to Be Prepared - College for more helpful tips.

I had to stay overnight at a hospital for a emergency surgery as a teenager. Although my mom worked as a ER/ICU nurse, I really had no idea what to expect.

I nearly jumped out of my bed when a nurse came to check on me in the middle of the night. And again the second time. And the third…(They don’t really leave you alone for very long!)

So, before you take a loved one (or yourself) to the hospital for surgery or other medical procedures, have a listen to this short podcast (below).

I spoke with Judy Pechacek, the vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, MN. She offers some great tips on what to bring with you to the hospital, the admittance and discharge process and general caregiver advice:

• Preparing for a Hospital Stay.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• More tips…

Tell us what you think of the podcast. E-mail me or write your thoughts in the comments section below!