Injuries are the leading cause of death in children, teens and adults up to age 45 in the US. Many more people who are injured live but have health problems for the rest of their lives, Accidental injuries include drowning, poisoning, suffocating, burns, falls, and car and bicycle crashes. The good news is most injuries can be prevented.
There are 2 major kinds of injuries. Unintended injuries are things that just happen to you or your loved ones. Intentional injuries are meant to harm a person or group of people.
- Unintended injuries
- Car accidents with injuries to people both inside and outside of the car
- Bicycle accidents with injuries to the person on the bike and people in the path of the bike
- Water-related injuries
- Playground or sports injuries
- Poisoning and drug overdose injuries
- Intentional injuries
- Child abuse and neglect
- Elder abuse
- Youth violence
- Intimate partner violence
- Sexual violence
- Suicide
Injuries can be prevented. You can learn more about preventing both kinds of injuries at the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website:
10 Tips from the CDC to prevent injuries:
- Wear your seatbelt
- Put children in the proper car seats or boosters in the back seat of the car
- Walk on sidewalks when you can
- Wear the proper helmet for your or your child's activity
- Learn how to swim
- Wear a life jacket when on the water, and for children when near the water or on the water
- Get rid of dangers in your home that can lead to tripping like loose rugs
- Keep medicines out of reach of children and teens
- Take medicines only as told to you by your or your child's health care provider
- Have your eyes checked
