FACTS

1. Your home is the second most dangerous location you spend a lot of time in (behind your car), and the second most common location of accidental deaths. The most common victims are the elderly and children.
2. Many Americans are clueless about how to prevent minor burns, poisonings, electrical shocks, suffocations.
3. Common problems in the home that lead to injuries:

• • Inadequate railings and banisters
  • Unsafe storage of medications
  • Water heaters set too high
  • Firearms improperly stored or locked up

4. Millions of children live in homes where guns aren’t properly locked away – raising the chances of unsafe gun handling. It is crucial to lock all guns in specialist gun safes to keep your family protected from the dangers of firearms.
5. Poisoning is a common cause of accidental death. Not only do injuries occur when children consume toxic substances like bleach or rat poison, but medications can also be the culprit for accidental deaths. Mixing medications or overdosing is one of the top causes of household poisoning problems for middle-aged and young people.

STATS

Falls 

• One out of five falls causes a serious injury such as broken bones or a head injury.
• Each year, 3 million older people are treated in emergency departments for fall injuries.
• Over 800,000 patients a year are hospitalized because of a fall injury, most often because of a head injury or hip fracture.
• Each year at least 300,000 older people are hospitalized for hip fractures.
• Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

Children

• Each year, 2,000 children under 14 die from a home injury.
• The leading causes of childhood injury in the home are fire and burns, suffocation, drowning, firearms, falls, choking, and poisoning.
• For burns, injuries caused by hot liquids or steam are more likely to be sustained by toddlers. Children in older age groups more often sustain injuries from direct contact with flames.