Unintentional Injuries Kill Over 800,000 Children Each Year

December 2008

A new report issued by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has revealed that unintentional injuries kill 830,000 children around the world each year. In the United States, unintentional injuries send 9.2 million children to the emergency room annually.

Road fatalities are the number one cause of injury and death among children around the world, leading to 260,000 fatalities annually. Drowning is the second leading cause of death, killing 175,000 children a year. Burns, falls, and poisoning rounded out the top five leading causes of death by unintentional injury.

According to the CDC, about 12,000 people ages 19 and younger died from unintentional injuries in the United States each year from 2000 to 2006. The report said that minimum drinking-age laws, seat belts, motorcycle helmets, and graduated driver licensing systems are proven ways to promote road safety and reduce deaths.