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Injuries in Florida Injuries are one of the Leading Health Indicators for Florida’s 2010 Goals for Children and Youth. In 2003, 2,619 Florida residents aged 1-24 died. Of that number, 69% (1,807) were the result of injuries, 73% (1,323) of which were unintentional (Florida Dept. of Health). In addition, in 2003 there were 17,638 hospitalizations of Florida residents aged 1-24 for fatal and nonfatal injuries, approximately 73% (12,795) of which were unintentional (AHCA). Nonfatal injuries vastly outnumber fatal injuries, but can still result in high costs for the state and individuals. In 2002, total gross charges for hospital-admitted nonfatal unintentional injuries of Florida residents aged 1-24 were approximately $269 million (AHCA). Motor vehicle crashes, poisonings, drownings, and fires and burns top Florida’s fatal unintentional injury list for residents aged 1-24 between 1999 and 2003, and motor vehicle crashes, falls, poisonings, and being struck by or against an object top the hospital-admitted nonfatal unintentional injury list for residents in this age group during the same time period. Motor vehicle crashes resulted in approximately 800 deaths and 71,000 nonfatal injuries among the 0-24 year-old population in Florida in 2003 alone (Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles). In addition, 85% of pedestrian deaths and 90% of pedal cyclist deaths to young people between 1999-2003 involved a motor vehicle (Florida Dept. of Health). The cost of hospital-admitted injuries to residents aged 0-24 due to motor vehicle crashes cost the state of Florida approximately $151 million in 2002; two-thirds of these costs ($101 million) were due to motor vehicle occupants (AHCA). Clearly, motor vehicle safety is a priority in Florida, especially for young people. Several strategies can help save lives in motor vehicle crashes, such as promoting and enforcing safety belt use. However, in a 2003 survey of Florida high school students, 13.7% of students reported rarely or never wearing a safety belt when they were passengers in a motor vehicle (Florida Dept. of Health). Disparities in U.S. and Florida Motor Vehicle-Related Death Rates by Age, Race/Ethnicity, and Sex, 2002 (CDC) Among Florida children aged 14 and under, drowning is a significant problem. With 376 drownings between 1999–2002, Florida had the third highest drowning rate in the country for children aged 14 and under (3.1 per 100,000), which was twice the national average of 1.5 per 100,000 (CDC). Even worse, 80% (302) of these drownings had occurred among children aged 4 and under, for a rate of 7.7 per 100,000, making this the highest drowning rate of any state in the country for this age group. Only California, a state with twice the population of Florida, had more drownings (304) in this age group during this time, and its total exceeded Florida’s by only two (CDC). Swimming pools account for two-thirds of drownings among Florida children aged 4 and under (Florida Dept. of Health). In 2000, the Florida Legislature passed the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Law that requires new residential swimming pools built in Florida to have at least one of the following: an enclosed barrier at least four feet high surrounding the pool; a pool safety cover; exit alarms on doors; and/or self-closing and self-latching locking devices on entries to the pool (SAFE KIDS). References:
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