Introduction to Unintentional Injuries
Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death and disability for school-aged children regardless of gender, race, or economic status. In 2004, unintentional injuries were the leading cause of death for children ages 5 to 18 years. More than 900 children died in 2005 from unintentional injuries and nearly 15,000 children were injured.
Injury deaths are only part of the picture. Thousands of children sustain nonfatal injuries each year that are serious enough to require a visit to an emergency department. Such injuries have a substantial impact on the lives of individuals, families, and society. The physical and emotional effects of injuries can be extensive and wide-ranging, and in the case of disabling injuries, the effects can last a lifetime.
Kids' Plates: Help Fund Child Safety Programs
Many injuries are preventable and unintentional injury prevention programs help kids to stay safe. Kids' Plates are the only DMV license plates that protect California's kids. The proceeds from their sale provide funding for local child safety programs throughout the state, including:
- Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect
- Prevention of Unintentional Injury - Motor Vehicles, Bikes, Pedestrian, Drowning, Poisoning, Fire/Burns, Falls, Firearms and SIDS
- Health and Safety of Child Care Facilities through Licensing
For more information on the Kids' Plates program, please e-mail info@kidsplates.org, call 1-800-HEY-KIDS, or visit http://www.kidsplates.org.
General Resources
American Academy of Pediatrics: Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention Section
This Web site provides information the causes of childhood injuries and poisonings and recommends initiatives to respond to these issues at the chapter and national level. Also included are injury prevention manuals created for providers.
American Public Health Association: Injury Control and Emergency Health Services Section
This Web site offers a national forum for all professionals committed to the control of violence and unintentional injuries, and to the delivery of emergency health care services.
California Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Prevention for Injury Control (EPIC)
This Web site is the focal point for the Department of Health Services' (DHS) injury prevention efforts to reduce intentional and unintentional injuries. This site is the most comprehensive source for California injury data.
Centers for Disease Control: National Center on Injury Prevention
This Web site presents a comprehensive look at the injury problem in America and efforts underway to reduce it including a link to the CDC Injury Fact Book and other downloadable resources.
Center for Injury Prevention Policy and Practice
This Web site, moderated by San Diego State University, seeks to reduce the frequency and severity of injuries by assisting government agencies, and community programs with incorporating injury prevention strategies into their regular on-going efforts. Funding opportunities are available along with downloadable publications.
Children's Safety Network
This is the Web site for a resource center for maternal and child health and injury prevention professionals committed to reducing injuries and violence among children and adolescents. Staff are available to provide expertise, resources, and contacts on any injury topic and can help develop, implement, and evaluate injury and violence prevention activities.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
This is the official Web site of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission which is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. This site provides a wealth of resources including downloadable publications.
Discover the Connections Conference
This Website provides information on the recent conference presented by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in conjunction with the Center for Injury Prevention Policy and Practice. Conference materials, downloadable from the site, provides information and skills to enhance and link injury and maltreatment prevention efforts within their agencies and communities.
Injury Free Coalition For Kids
The Web site for this national coalition provides information on injury prevention programs that are hospital-based and community-oriented and whose efforts are anchored in research, education, and advocacy.
Safe Kids Worldwide
This Web site provides information about the first and only international nonprofit organization dedicated solely to preventing unintentional childhood injury through changes in attitudes, behaviors, laws and the environment to prevent accidental injury to children. Links to local Safe Kids chapters are included.
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Topic Specific Resources
Accident Prevention: Playground Safety
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): Playground Safety Publications
This Web site offers numerous safety publications including several devoted to playground safety. Included are safety handbooks and checklists for public and home playgrounds.
Health, Mental Health, and Safety Guidelines for Schools: Playground Safety
The Web site offers comprehensive playground safety guidance documents including guidelines to address playground surfacing, the use and maintenance of equipment, and supervision.
KaBOOM!
This Web site, from a national non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America, includes numerous resources to help improve your playground including trainings, challenge grants, and publications.
Kid's Health: Playground Safety (English)
This Web site includes articles for parents on a variety of injury prevention topics including playground safety - a great resource to share with parents in your program.
Kid's Health: Seguridad en el jardin de juego (Spanish)
This Web site includes articles for parents on a variety of injury prevention topics including playground safety in Spanish.
National Network for Child Care: Make Playgrounds Safe
This Web site offers a concise article on playground safety that is focused on the needs of preschool-age children.
National Playground Safety Institute
This Web site offers information on playground safety trainings including Playground Safety Inspector certification.
National Program for Playground Safety
This Web site offers trainings and services about outdoor play and safety including research, training, and curricula.
Transportation Safety: General
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
This Web site, administered for the U.S. Department of Transportation, offers studies and reports, safety programs and grants, child passenger safety information, and numerous transportation safety "Tip sheets" available for free download.
Bicycle Safety
Bike Helmet Safety Institute
The Web site of this non-profit program provides detailed bicycle helmet information to consumers, including the technology of helmets, and seeks to promote better helmet through improved standards. Good information on how to choose the proper helmet.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Bicycle Safety Publications
This Web site offers numerous safety publications including several devoted to bicycle safety. Included are safety handbooks and checklists for parents and providers.
Kid's Health: Bike Safety (English)
This Web site includes articles for parents on bicycle safety including helmet basics, safe clothing, the rules of the road for bike riding, and bicycle maintenance - a great resource to share with parents in your program.
Kid's Health: Seguridad y bicicletas (Spanish)
This Web site includes articles for parents on bicycle safety including helmet basics, safe clothing, the rules of the road for bike riding, and bicycle maintenance - in Spanish.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
This Web site serves as a national clearinghouse for information about health and safety, engineering, advocacy, education, enforcement, access, and mobility for pedestrians (including transit users) and bicyclists; a good source for current articles on bicycle safety.
Motor Vehicle Passenger Safety
American Academic of Pediatrics (AAP) Car Seat Guide
This Web site offers a comprehensive guide for parents on how to choose the proper safety seat for children including guidelines for proper installation and frequently asked questions about safety seats.
CarSafety.org
This Website offers comprehensive child passenger safety information and a searchable database of child safety seat inspection locations.
Car Seats: Where to Find Free and Low Cost Car Seats
(PDF file)
This document, from the California Department of Health Services, offers information on where parents and other caregivers can obtain free and low cost car seats along with child safety seat inspections. The information on car seat programs is listed by county.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Child Passenger Safety
This Web site offers information on the NHTSA Child Passenger Safety Program by providing through education, training, enforcement, outreach and legislation. The site includes information on trainings and streaming video of proper safety seat installation.
Seat Check: Find Child Passenger Safety Seat Inspection Locations
This Web site offers comprehensive information on child passenger safety law and includes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) listing of child passenger safety seat inspection locations which is searchable by zip code.
Pedestrian Safety
CDC Kids Walk to School
This Web site offers information about CDC's Nutrition and Physical Activity Program called Kids Walk-to-School. This is a community-based program that aims to increase opportunities for daily physical activity by encouraging children to walk to and from school in groups accompanied by adults.
NHTSA- Prevent Pedestrian Crashes: Preschool/Elementary School Children
This Website, aimed at parents and caregivers, offers a brief tip sheet on preventing pedestrian crashes.
Safe Routes to School
This Web site offers comprehensive online reference manual designed to support the development of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs. It also provides links to other SRTS publications and training resources.
Walk to School Day
The official Web site of National Walk to School Day which occurs every October, this site offers many downloadable materials to help you plan and promote your Walk to School Day event.
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