Leading Causes of Injuries Among Children and Adolescents

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials has produced a fact sheet about injuries and their prevention. That fact sheet states that 2/3 of all deaths among youth ages 5-19 were injury-related in 2003, making injuries the leading cause of death for that age group. Of all of the 15-20 year old drivers killed in crashes, 25% had been drinking alcohol. Youth violence is also high - 750,000 youths ages 10 -24 were admitted to emergency rooms for violence-related injuries in 2004. In addition, suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals ages 15 – 24, with males four times more likely to die by suicide than females.

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Photo credit: Colin Gregory Palmer