1. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Chapter Eighteen Injury: Creating Safe Environments

2. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Unintentional Injuries oUnintentional injuries are those that are not purposefully inflicted oThe leading cause of death for children and adults between the ages of 1-39 o5 th leading cause of death for Americans of all ages oPublic health experts avoid using the term “accident” in referring to these incidents since they could have been prevented See Figure 18.1

3. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Motor Vehicle Safety oMotor vehicle crashes account for 44% of all unintentional injury deaths oThe highest number of these deaths occur in the young (aged 16-19) as well as the old (> 75 years) oMen are more likely than women to be killed in car crashes, although women are more likely to be involved in a car crash than men oAbout 85% of motor vehicle crashes are caused by improper driving such as: SpeedingSpeeding Failing to yield the right of wayFailing to yield the right of way Disregarding signals and stop signsDisregarding signals and stop signs

4. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Other Factors Which Contribute to Motor Vehicle Crashes oDriver Inattention Young childrenYoung children Events outside the vehicleEvents outside the vehicle Talking on cell phonesTalking on cell phones DrowsinessDrowsiness oAggressive Driving oAlcohol-impaired Driving oEnvironmental Hazards Weather conditions such as fog, ice, wind, glare, etc.Weather conditions such as fog, ice, wind, glare, etc.

5. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Improving Motor Vehicle Safety oNHTSA Standards Crash worthiness: measurement of how well a car performs in a crashCrash worthiness: measurement of how well a car performs in a crash oRestraint Systems Safety belts prevent 50% of serious injuries and reduce the risk of fatalities by 45% in front seat passengersSafety belts prevent 50% of serious injuries and reduce the risk of fatalities by 45% in front seat passengers An Airbag is a passive restraint that protects front seat passengers from impact (second collision)An Airbag is a passive restraint that protects front seat passengers from impact (second collision) A Second collision is an impact of an unbelted occupant with any of the following:A Second collision is an impact of an unbelted occupant with any of the following: WindshieldWindshield Steering columnSteering column DoorDoor DashboardDashboard Other passengersOther passengers oNewer safety forms of technology SensorsSensors

6. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Other Safety Concerns Involving Motor Vehicles oMotorcycle Safety Motorcyclists are 5 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and about 26 times more likely to be injuredMotorcyclists are 5 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and about 26 times more likely to be injured oPedestrian Safety Accounts for 13% of traffic-related deaths, second only to vehicle occupantsAccounts for 13% of traffic-related deaths, second only to vehicle occupants Child Safety Child Safety Older Adult Safety Older Adult Safety

7. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Recreational Safety oInjuries can occur outside the home environment oRecreational activities or sports which should be of concern are: Bicycle ridingBicycle riding In-line skating and motorized scootersIn-line skating and motorized scooters Swimming (drowning concerns)Swimming (drowning concerns) BoatingBoating Water skiing and use of personal watercraft (jet-skiing)Water skiing and use of personal watercraft (jet-skiing) HuntingHunting

8. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Home Safety o40% of all disabling injuries occur in the home oHome injuries and deaths occur primarily due to the following: FallsFalls FiresFires PoisoningsPoisonings Choking/SuffocationChoking/Suffocation oHaving a qualified person inspect your home for potential hazards could prevent future injury and property damage

9. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Temperature-related Injuries oEach year many people die due to excessive temperature conditions people aged 75 years or older are at the highest risk people aged 75 years or older are at the highest risk oExcessive heat and humidity can lead to heat stroke especially in motor vehicles, which can kill children and pets especially in motor vehicles, which can kill children and pets oExcessive cold can lead to a condition called hypothermia which can lead to death

10. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Work Safety oSafety in the workplace has improved over the past decades due to occupational laws and advancements in safety technology oMen are at higher risk than women to be injured at work oBack injuries are common a work due to improper lifting of heavy objects oExtensive computer use can also result in back, arm, hand, eye, and neck strain oRepetitive strain injuries are soft tissue injuries that can occur when motions and tasks are repeatedly performed in ergonomically incorrect ways i.e. carpal tunnel syndromei.e. carpal tunnel syndrome

11. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. What are Natural Disasters? oDisasters which are caused by natural forces oSuch events can cause a sudden loss of life, severe injury, or property damage oThere are 3 main types of disasters covered in this chapter: TornadoesTornadoes HurricanesHurricanes EarthquakesEarthquakes oThe best way to avoid injury and death in a natural disaster is to be prepared and know what to do when warnings are given

12. © 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved. Chapter Eighteen Injury: Creating Safe Environments