Around 9.2 million children are treated each year in U.S. hospital emergency departments for accidental injuries. Every type of accident that can injure an adult can also hurt a child.
Some of the more common ways that child injuries occur include:
- Motor vehicle accidents. This includes injuries to children who are bicycling or are pedestrians, as well as those who are occupants of motor vehicles. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of accidental death in children five to 19 years of age.
- Premises liability accidents, including slip and fall accidents, burns, swimming pool accidents, and dog bites. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children up to four years of age.