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In 1998 to 1999, UK statistics show there were almost 17,000 firearms offences, 60% of which involved air guns. The following year, air gun offences increased by 17%. One in five offences caused injury and in almost one in 10, the victim had to be admitted to hospital because of shock, fracture, or multiple wounds. There are about four million air guns in UK households. The law does not require a licence; children under 14 can use them if supervised by an adult. An article in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood calls for air gun use to be restricted to supervised target ranges and for the power of their pellets to be reduced.
BBC News, March 25, 2002

Stress on the job is fueling an alarming increase in workplace outbursts, according to a new survey of 6,000 employees conducted by TMP Worldwide, Australia's largest recruitment firm. About 16% said they worked in an office where yelling and verbal abuse happened frequently, and one in 10 said they had been a victim of violence in the workplace.. An additional 65% admitted losing their temper with a boss or co-worker, and 90% said they had witnessed a workplace outburst by their boss or co-worker.
The Daily Telegraph, April 22, 2002

In the 10 years from 1990 to 1999, pedestrian deaths in Canada went down by almost half, injuries by a quarter. Nevertheless, in 1999, there were 414 pedestrian fatalities and 13,671 injuries. Almost 70% were killed in urban areas, almost 2/3 at intersections. Canadians over age 65 accounted for 1/3 of pedestrian deaths although they represent only 1/8 of the population.
Road Safety in Canada - 1999, Transport Canada (presented at CCMTA meeting)

According to a British Columbia study, individuals who use cell phones while driving are inherently riskier drivers. They have more violations for speeding, impaired driving, seat-belt non-usage, aggressive driving and non-moving violations than drivers who refrain from cell phone use in vehicles, or have low usage. This indicates differences in lifestyle, attitude and personality that need to be considered in the design and targeting of public awareness campaigns.
Collision and Violation Involvement of Drivers Who Use Cellular Telephones, Jean Wilson et al, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, (May 2002)

The BC government is giving police the ability to impound vehicles involved in road racing. New legislation gives police the authority to impound vehicles involved in racing for 48 hours on a first incident. Drivers caught racing again within two years can have their vehicle impounded for 30 days. In addition to vehicle impoundment and penalty points, drivers who race can also face fines up to $2,000 and charges under the Criminal Code.
British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, May 14, 2002

In the thirteen months after it was introduced, Ontario's Administrative Driver's Licence Suspension (ADLS) Law resulted in a 17% reduction in the proportion of fatally injured drivers who have blood levels over the legal limit. The law requires anyone charged with driving with a blood alcohol level over 80 mg% or failing to provide a breath sample would have their license suspended immediately for 90 days. The ADLS law came into effect on November 29, 1996.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in the Canadian Journal of Public Health, May/June 2002

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the percentage of traffic deaths that were alcohol-related in 2001 remained unchanged at 40%. The study estimated the number of total highway deaths at 41,730 in 2001, compared to 41,821 in 2000. The number of injuries dropped from 3.2 million in 2000 to 3.0 million in 2001. Each year since 1994, alcohol-related traffic deaths in the U.S. have hovered between 16,000 and 17,000, while the percentage of highway deaths that have been alcohol-related has remained at about 40%.
National Commission Against Drunk Driving, Washington, DC, April 24, 2002

Car drivers wearing seatbelts are five times more likely to die in a crash if their back-seat passengers are unrestrained. Japanese researchers analysed data on about 100,000 car crashes between 1995 and 1999 in Japan, where rear seatbelt use is not compulsory. They concluded that the number of deaths in the studied accidents could have been reduced by 79.2%, if the rear seat passengers had also used belts. Overall, deaths and severe injuries could be reduced by nearly a half.
The Lancet (vol 359, p 43), cited in NewScientist.com, January 4, 2002

Transportation incidents, in particular highway crashes, continue to be the leading cause of workplace deaths in the U.S. According to a report by the AFL-CIO, they account for 2,613 or 43 percent of all work-related fatalities in 1999. Highway crashes account for one-quarter of the fatal work injury total (1,491) and are at the highest level since the Bureau of Labor Statistics fatality census began in 1992.
SafetySource.com Safety News, May 23, 2002

About 246 million children ages 5 to 17 worldwide are involved in child labour. Some 110 million children in hazardous work are under age 15. An estimated 8.4 million are trapped in the most abhorrent forms of child labour, including slavery, trafficking, prostitution and other such activities. Most child workers are in the informal sector where they have no legal or regulatory protection; 70% are in agriculture, commercial hunting and fishing or forestry. Each year 12,000 children die working in hazardous conditions.
International Labour Organization, World Day against Child Labour, June 12, 2002

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		Home > News > Safety Canada Online > Vol. XLV1, No. 3, July 2002			ISSN 1208-7564
		Did you know? In 1998 to 1999, UK statistics show there were almost 17,000 firearms offences, 60% of which involved air guns. The following year, air gun offences increased by 17%. One in five offences caused injury and in almost one in 10, the victim had to be admitted to hospital because of shock, fracture, or multiple wounds. There are about four million air guns in UK households. The law does not require a licence; children under 14 can use them if supervised by an adult. An article in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood calls for air gun use to be restricted to supervised target ranges and for the power of their pellets to be reduced. BBC News, March 25, 2002 Stress on the job is fueling an alarming increase in workplace outbursts, according to a new survey of 6,000 employees conducted by TMP Worldwide, Australia's largest recruitment firm. About 16% said they worked in an office where yelling and verbal abuse happened frequently, and one in 10 said they had been a victim of violence in the workplace.. An additional 65% admitted losing their temper with a boss or co-worker, and 90% said they had witnessed a workplace outburst by their boss or co-worker. The Daily Telegraph, April 22, 2002 In the 10 years from 1990 to 1999, pedestrian deaths in Canada went down by almost half, injuries by a quarter. Nevertheless, in 1999, there were 414 pedestrian fatalities and 13,671 injuries. Almost 70% were killed in urban areas, almost 2/3 at intersections. Canadians over age 65 accounted for 1/3 of pedestrian deaths although they represent only 1/8 of the population. Road Safety in Canada - 1999, Transport Canada (presented at CCMTA meeting) According to a British Columbia study, individuals who use cell phones while driving are inherently riskier drivers. They have more violations for speeding, impaired driving, seat-belt non-usage, aggressive driving and non-moving violations than drivers who refrain from cell phone use in vehicles, or have low usage. This indicates differences in lifestyle, attitude and personality that need to be considered in the design and targeting of public awareness campaigns. Collision and Violation Involvement of Drivers Who Use Cellular Telephones, Jean Wilson et al, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, (May 2002) The BC government is giving police the ability to impound vehicles involved in road racing. New legislation gives police the authority to impound vehicles involved in racing for 48 hours on a first incident. Drivers caught racing again within two years can have their vehicle impounded for 30 days. In addition to vehicle impoundment and penalty points, drivers who race can also face fines up to $2,000 and charges under the Criminal Code. British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, May 14, 2002 In the thirteen months after it was introduced, Ontario's Administrative Driver's Licence Suspension (ADLS) Law resulted in a 17% reduction in the proportion of fatally injured drivers who have blood levels over the legal limit. The law requires anyone charged with driving with a blood alcohol level over 80 mg% or failing to provide a breath sample would have their license suspended immediately for 90 days. The ADLS law came into effect on November 29, 1996. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, in the Canadian Journal of Public Health, May/June 2002 According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the percentage of traffic deaths that were alcohol-related in 2001 remained unchanged at 40%. The study estimated the number of total highway deaths at 41,730 in 2001, compared to 41,821 in 2000. The number of injuries dropped from 3.2 million in 2000 to 3.0 million in 2001. Each year since 1994, alcohol-related traffic deaths in the U.S. have hovered between 16,000 and 17,000, while the percentage of highway deaths that have been alcohol-related has remained at about 40%. National Commission Against Drunk Driving, Washington, DC, April 24, 2002 Car drivers wearing seatbelts are five times more likely to die in a crash if their back-seat passengers are unrestrained. Japanese researchers analysed data on about 100,000 car crashes between 1995 and 1999 in Japan, where rear seatbelt use is not compulsory. They concluded that the number of deaths in the studied accidents could have been reduced by 79.2%, if the rear seat passengers had also used belts. Overall, deaths and severe injuries could be reduced by nearly a half. The Lancet (vol 359, p 43), cited in NewScientist.com, January 4, 2002 Transportation incidents, in particular highway crashes, continue to be the leading cause of workplace deaths in the U.S. According to a report by the AFL-CIO, they account for 2,613 or 43 percent of all work-related fatalities in 1999. Highway crashes account for one-quarter of the fatal work injury total (1,491) and are at the highest level since the Bureau of Labor Statistics fatality census began in 1992. SafetySource.com Safety News, May 23, 2002 About 246 million children ages 5 to 17 worldwide are involved in child labour. Some 110 million children in hazardous work are under age 15. An estimated 8.4 million are trapped in the most abhorrent forms of child labour, including slavery, trafficking, prostitution and other such activities. Most child workers are in the informal sector where they have no legal or regulatory protection; 70% are in agriculture, commercial hunting and fishing or forestry. Each year 12,000 children die working in hazardous conditions. International Labour Organization, World Day against Child Labour, June 12, 2002 Return to top of page			Safety Canada July 2002