Oh deer

As the weather turns cooler, more deer are on the move near your back roads, main streets and crowded highways, increasing the possibility of a deer-car accident.

Each year, deer cause more than 1.5 million vehicle collisions, resulting in 150 occupant deaths, tens of thousands of injuries and more than $1 billion in vehicle damage. The majority of these accidents occur during deer season, which runs from October to December.

"As our wildlife habitat continues to shrink, accidents with deer and other animals are likely to increase," said Jeanne Salvatore, senior vice president at the Insurance Information Institute. "We need to be more vigilant in our driving."

Ms. Salvatore offers the following tips:

Deer facts: Deer are everywhere from rural roads to busy highways and they usually travel in groups. So if you see one near the road, keep your eye out for more.

Deer reflexes: Deer often dart into traffic when faced with headlights and horns. When you see one, brake firmly, but stay in your lane to avoid collisions with other cars.

Bad timing: Deer usually come out from dusk to early morning. Use your high beams when possible to better illuminate deer eyes.

Gadgets: Don't rely on deer whistles or reflectors. These devices haven't proven effective.

Work tunes

Younger workers are more likely than their older counterparts to don headphones while sitting while working in offices, according to a study from Spherion Corp.

Nearly half of adults ages 25 to 29 said they listen to their iPod, MP3 player or other personal music device while working, whereas 22 percent of adults ages 50 to 64 claim to do so. Overall, almost one-third of all workers listen to music at the office.

Nine out of 10 of workers ages 18 to 24 and ages 30 to 39 believe that music improves their job satisfaction and job productivity.

While allowing personal music devices may make many employees happy, employers should set ground rules first, according to Nancy Halverson, vice president of talent development at Spherion.

"Like many other new technologies that have seeped into the workplace, personal music devices do have the potential to negatively impact performance and security in the workplace," Ms. Halverson said.

Ask workers to keep volume levels low so that they can easily interact with other co-workers and hear telephones and fire alarms. To ensure computer safety, make sure to set policies regarding music downloads.

Spherion polled 1,613 employed adults ages 18 and older during August.

Tech test

While most companies spend millions of dollars securing their networks from outside threats, the weakest links are their employees, according to one technology company.

Nearly 80 percent of all IT damage comes from within an organization, InfoTech has found. But a few simple precautions can keep your computer from causing a security breach.

Matti Kon, InfoTech's president and CEO, offers the following tips:

Password protection: Don't keep your password on a sticky note at your desk and make sure your password isn't related to you, so avoid birthdays and family names. The best password is seven characters long and includes punctuation and numbers.

Blackberry blunders: Secure your handheld device with a password. If you lose it and you don't have a password, then anyone can access your personal and professional information.

Easy access: Make sure to install an automatic timed lock on your computer, so no one can use it while you're away from your desk.

Con watch: Don't give your password over the phone. Hackers often pose as IT staff over the telephone to get your password.