More than one-third of Americans are obese, and one recent study showed that obese drivers are more likely to die in a car crash. So the world's largest maker of dummies is making one that is obese.

"Obese occupants are up to 78 percent more likely to die in a car crash than an average weight driver," Humanetics President and CEO Christopher O'Connor told Crash Test Technology International, a trade publication. "Having a body mass index of 35-39.9 percent increases your risk of death by 51 percent."

O'Connor said Humanetics is making an obese crash test dummy that weighs about 271 pounds and has a BMI of 35 that can measure belt and airbag loads generated during crashes. He said a prototype dummy was used in August to evaluate sleds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines as obese a person who is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 203 pounds or more, with a BMI of 30 or higher.

In an interview with CNN, O'Connor said the reason for the increased fatality rate is the way we get fat.

"We get fat in our middle range," he said. "And we get out of position in a typical seat."

Traditional crash test dummies weigh about 167 pounds, and automakers must use the dummies to prove their vehicles are safe before being sold in the U.S. and Europe.

Currently, if you live in Georgia, the answer is yes. In a case of legal precedence, a Georgia court ruled that not only are the children responsible for their actions, but the parents are also responsible. In this case, two seventh graders created a Facebook page and pretended to be a girl at their school. On the Facebook page, the two kids altered the girl's image and used explicit language. The parents of the two culprits are currently appealing the court decision.

This ruling brings up an interesting question; how much are parents supposed to know about what their children are doing. For instance, if your child is using a computer, smartphone or tablet to run-a-muck on the internet, are you expected to police their every action. Is this different than a situation where your children are at school and bullying another kid. If the parent is not told what is happening, how does the parent know to take corrective action? It is one thing to monitor your child's own Facebook page, but another to monitor a fake page your child created that you have no way of monitoring.

When it comes to talking on a cell phone while driving, we all know we should be using a hands-free device or having the call go through our car (if you have that option). However, have you ever wondered if using the hands-free, voice-activated system in your car is safe? AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says that this voice activated system increases the amount of distraction a driver has to deal with, essentially increasing the chances of having an accident. 

According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, last year 3,328 people were killed in the United States as a result of distracted driving accidents. Additionally, another 421,000 people were injured. That is a lot of people for a system that is supposed to make talking on the phone and driving safer.