Many people know that unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States.
A new report from the CDC, "Years of Potential Life Lost from Unintentional Injuries Among Persons Aged 0-19 Years -- United States, 2000-2009," offers some new ways to look at this serious issue, which will hopefully get people looking at how to combat the "the number one killer among this population in the United States."
Specifically, the study looked at years of potential life lost, which "is a more relevant measure for children because it incorporates both the number of those who died and the number of years lost because of premature death."
How many years of potential life are lost in the United States each year? About 890 years for every 100,000 children and teens between the ages of 0 to 19 years from drownings, car accidents, traffic accidents, suffocation, fires, falls, poisoning, and unintentional shootings, etc.
The study also found that states with the highest years of potential life lost rates, which might be surprising for those parents who live in them, include:
- Mississippi
- Alaska
- South Dakota
- Wyoming
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- Montana
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
States with the lowest years of potential life lost rates included Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
The study suggested that prioritizing "implementation of known and effective interventions, such as using safety belts, wearing bicycle and motorcycle helmets, reducing drinking and driving, strengthening graduated driver licensing laws, using safety equipment during sports participation, requiring four-sided residential pool fencing, and encouraging safe sleep practices for infants," could help to reduce the burden of injuries to children and teens.
Keep your kids safe. Remember that many unintentional injuries or accidents are preventable.
Related:
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National Action Plan for Child Injury Prevention
Hidden Dangers and Child Safety
Child Safety
Accidents and Tragedies
Layers of Protection - Child Safety Tips
