A Lifetime of Risk
It’s National Safety Month. Each June, the National Safety Council (NSC) the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) and partners around the country work to raise awareness on preventing the leading causes of injury and death at work, on the roads and in our homes and communities.
That’s a lot of ground to cover, and in a way, you can say it covers a lifetime of risk. The NSC, reports preventable injuries are the 4th leading cause of death in the United States, right after heart disease, cancer and respiratory diseases. Let’s check out the top risks by age in the country:
- Under 12 months, the leading form of preventable death is suffocation. An estimated two deaths happen in the United States every day. The ways to prevent that include having infants sleep in a crib, not their parent’s bed, placing infants to sleep on their backs and keeping stuffed animals and blankets out of cribs.
- From ages 1 to 24, the top preventable way people die is car crashes. Nearly 21 preventable deaths happen daily. It’s more proof we need to fasten our seatbelts every time we get in a car, make sure our kids have appropriate seating based on their age and weight, and not use electronic devices, like our cell phones while driving. It’s also important to give teens more driving experience – even after they get their license.
- Ages 25 to 64’s leading cause of preventable death may surprise you: Poisoning. Largely from prescription pain medication, the US daily average for poisoning is 92 deaths. Doctors, who at one point overprescribed opioids, are now largely aware of the problem, but you should be too. Always ask your medical provider about over the counter alternatives to prescription pain medication. If you have to take prescription pain medication, take the smallest dose for the shortest time, and never share your prescriptions with friends or family.
- For ages 65 and older, the top preventable death is falling. An estimated 69 deaths happen every day in America. For your sake or that of your older loved ones, provide adequate lighting in every room or even stairway. In bathrooms, install grab bars, near the tub and toilet and consider buying non-skid mats in bathtubs and showers.
We usually don’t know when it’s our time go, but we don’t have to take unnecessary risks with our lives either. Remember: safety is no accident. It's a choice we need to make each and every day. When we keep safety top of mind, we are all empowered to make safe decisions for ourselves and those we care about.
Visit the National Safety Council webpage for more information about National Safety Month.
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