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Brain Injury and Safety

 By Harrison J. Gordon, Attorney at Law

In association with Brain Injury Awareness Month, the following statistics and safety tips are being offered:

Vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of brain injury (falls are the number-one cause). Additionally, motor vehicle crashes are a primary cause of death for 15 to 20 years olds. Young people frequently have a tendency toward a self perception of invincibility, which may contribute to the high percentage of youthful drivers who sustain brain injuries in automobile crashes.

Research demonstrates that brain and chest injuries are the most frequent cause of death in collisions wherein the individual was not wearing a seatbelt. Seatbelts can be extremely effective in preventing traumatic and fatal brain injuries. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative to one’s safety and well being that all drivers and passengers in motor vehicles wear a seatbelt as soon as they enter a vehicle.

• Brain injury is one of the top diagnoses in emergency departments for playground-related injuries. Most injuries occur on the swings, monkey bars or climbers, and slides.

• The most common brain injury sustained in sports is a concussion. According to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2001), there are an estimated 300,000 sports-related concussions in the United States each year. Frequent blows to the head cause most professional boxers to sustain a brain injury. Additionally, soccer players can sustain brain injuries as a result of head-to-head contact, falls, or being struck on the head by the ball. Football injuries associated with the brain also occur frequently. A helmet helps prevent a brain injury from occurring and should be worn by football players at all times.

• Each year, about 350,000 children under 15 sustain bicycle-related injuries. Of those children, about 130,000 sustain brain injuries. Between 70 and 80 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve brain injuries. Once again, it is imperative that all children wear a properly fitting helmet in order to reduce the chances of sustaining a head injury during a fall. An adult should check and adjust the child’s helmet if needed prior to each bicycle outing.

 

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