November is Child Safety & Protection Month

Childhood is a time of wonder and growth, but it also comes with inherent risks. Join us this November by participating in Child Safety and Protection Month to keep our next generation safe. Although we've seen an 11% decrease in child unintentional injury death rates from 2010 to 2019, it is important to note that injuries remain the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. Recent statistics reveal that over 7,000 children and teens aged 0-19 lost their lives to unintentional injuries in 2019 alone — equivalent to approximately 20 young lives per day.

Key Insights:

• Motor vehicle crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires, and falls are primary contributors to child unintentional injuries.
• Child injury rates were highest among male children, infants under 1 year old, teens aged 15–19, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black children.
• Motor vehicle crashes surpassed other causes of unintentional injury deaths.
• Rural areas experienced higher overall unintentional injury death rates compared to metro and urban areas.
• Despite overall progress, specific groups witnessed an increase in unintentional injury death rates: Suffocation rates rose 20% among infants and 21% among Black children. Poisoning death rates surged 50% among Hispanic children and 37% among Black children.

According to the CDC, drowning emerged as the leading cause of injury death for children aged 1-4 years. Alarmingly, drowning death rates were 2.6 times higher among Black children aged 5–9 years and 3.6 times higher among Black children aged 10–14 years. The CDC notes they are  actively researching these disparities and collaborating to address barriers to basic swimming and water-safety skills training, particularly among communities at higher risk.

Everyone plays a role in safeguarding our children. Whether you're a parent, healthcare provider, teacher, or neighbor, your actions matter. Together, let's create an environment where every child can thrive safely. To learn more about child safety and injury prevention, reach out to an agent at Diversified or visit: https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/child-injury/index.html.

DII is your partner in child safety. Our team of experts can work with you to understand best safety practices to prevent adolescent injury and keep our children and future generations safe. Please contact Steve Johnston, CBIA for more information. #November #ChildSafety