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Did you know?
A Texas study of 98 children injured in falls from buildings identified two key factors in the falls: balcony rails more than 10 cm (4 inches) apart, and windows positioned low to the floor.
Three-quarters of the falls involved apartments. Most occurred around noon or evening meal times. Among apartment falls, half fell from windows, and most of the rest from balconies. For more than two-thirds of balcony related falls, the child fell from between the balcony rails. On-site measurement showed the rails were an average of 20 cm (7.5 inches) apart; all of these apartments were built before 1984. For more than two-thirds of window related falls, the window was situated within 60 cm (2 feet) of the floor.
Istre GR, McCoy MA, Stowe M, Davies K, Zane D, Anderson RJ, Wiebe R. Injury Prevention 2003; 9(4): 349-352.
Despite the fact that the proportion of adults involved in serious bicycle accidents has increased in the last two decades, most bicycle safety efforts target child riders. Massachusetts's state-wide injury data reveals a 30 per cent increase in hospital charges between 1994 and 1999 for adults following bicycle falls and collisions while there was no significant change for children. In the years 1993-2000, 60 per cent of patients requiring inpatient care at the Study Center for Bicycle Related Injuries were over 16 years of age. Three-quarters of patients suffering closed head injury were not helmeted.
Rosenkranz KM, Sheridan RL. Injury 2003; 34(11): 825-829.
In the late 1990s, Kentucky and Louisiana repealed their universal motorcycle helmet laws. Statewide observational surveys showed that helmet use decreased from nearly full compliance to the 50 per cent range without the laws. The rate of motorcyclist fatalities per 10,000 registered motorcycles increased by 37 per cent in Kentucky and 75 per cent in Louisiana. Injuries also increased. The experience in Kentucky and Louisiana reflects the experience in Arkansas and Texas, the other states that have repealed universal laws in recent years, leaving little doubt that such repeals have demonstrable negative safety consequences.
US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Evaluation of the repeal of the motorcycle helmet laws in Louisiana and Kentucky. Published online October 28, 2003.
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Safety Canada April 2004
Falls from High Rise Apartments
Motorcycle helmets save lives
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