Unintentional childhood injury is the number one killer of children ages 14 and younger in the United States. Each year across the country, more than 6,000 children ages 14 and younger are killed, and another 90,000 are permanently disabled, from injuries that many people call “accidents.” However, we have learned that there’s really no such thing as an accident – unintentional injuries are preventable.
Children primarily are at risk of unintentional injury-related death from: motor vehicle injuries which include children as occupants, pedestrians, and bicyclists; fire and burns; drowning; airway obstruction; unintentional firearm injuries; falls; and poisonings. Approximately 50 to 100 unintentional injury-related child deaths occur each year in Maryland.
Safe Kids Maryland, a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, unites more than 650 public, private, and voluntary organizations to reduce preventable childhood injuries in Maryland through community awareness activities, educational programs, and advocacy.
