An astonishing 18 people die every hour due to injuries in the United States, according to the first government report of its kind. That means in 2001, 157,000 people died from an injury, with no age group, gender or race exempt.

The inaugural study focused on both fatal and non-fatal injuries.

• One in 10 visits a hospital emergency room because of an injury
• Both fatal and non-fatal injuries are more common among males than females
• The medical care for fatal and non-fatal injuries costs an estimated $117 billion annually

Fatal injuries:

• Unintentional injury is the 5th leading cause of death in this country
• For people ages 1-40, trauma is the leading cause of death
• Car accidents claimed more than 33,000 lives, making them the No. 1 killer of Americans by injury
• Small children died from drowning more often than car accidents

As devastating as those statistics are, less than 1 percent of serious injuries result in death. In 2001, about 30 million people were treated in hospitals for non-fatal injuries:

• Falls are the No. 1 non-fatal injury cause. Nearly 8 million people were treated in emergency rooms.
• Nearly 3 million people were treated for injuries sustained in car accidents
• Children ages 14 and younger sustained 36 percent of all brain trauma injuries
• Poisoning accounted for more than 60 percent of self-inflicted injuries in young people, ages 15-24

Researchers stressed that many of these common injuries, and subsequent deaths, can be avoided. They suggested people pay more attention. They should also take precautions, such as smoke detectors, seat belts, locked cabinets, grab bars and motion sensors.

Forbes September 3, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

In the past, I wrote about the various common sense ways you can avoid deadly and unintentional household tragedies. From the numbers in this report, however, it seems not very many people got the message. I tend to focus on natural ways to keep healthy. Believe it or not, things like eating right, getting quality sleep and exercising can make an impact on your chances of sustaining an injury. For example, children and adults who are sleep deprived are more likely to get hurt or be involved in an accident. Even with proper nutrition, sleep and fitness, people can still fall victim to an accident. With that said, here are some tips to avoid five of the most common household tragedies: Falls -- Exercise gives you balance and strength, increasing your survival reflexes. Poisonings -- Common household products often are toxic chemicals. Keep them out of reach of children and away from food stuffs. Keep activated charcoal within reach, just in case Fire -- Make sure your smoke alarms are functioning and check the house for fire hazards Suffocation/Choking -- Watch infants and small children around common items -- pillows, balloons, plastic bags and telephone cords Drowning -- Pay attention. Most drowning incidents occurred while one or both parents were supervising the child. In 69 percent of all cases, the parents didn't expect the children to be near the pool, yet the child was found in the water Related Articles: Five Common Toxic Metals to Avoid, and Where You'll Find Them Death by Medicine, Part I Caution Warranted When Your Kids Are Jumping On Trampoline Lead Poisoning Risk From Some Candles TV Viewing Tied to Child Injury Risk