Injury & Violence Prevention

Child Injuries Can Be Prevented

Injury prevention science demonstrates that deaths can be prevented with evidence-based practices and policies.

AAP-OC’s Injury and Violence Prevention Initiative provides expertise, evidence-based guidelines and public policy advocacy for childhood injury and violence prevention. Our goal is to reduce childhood injuries in Orange County.

Injury, both intentional and unintentional, is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States for children beyond the first year of life. These injuries will have lasting impacts, including total lifetime economic costs of more than $50 billion in medical expenses and lost productivity. Injuries can be prevented through enabling system changes (public policy and laws, environment and engineering), as well as changes in community and individual behaviors.

Orange County Key Injury Facts

  • Each day, 1 child under 5 years is seriously injured
  • Each month, 2 die as a result of injury
  • Assault (homicide) is a leading cause of death among children less than 1 year of age
  • Drowning is the leading unintentional injury cause of death for children 1-4 years of age and the 2nd leading cause of unintentional injury death for children 5-9 and 10-14 years of age. (2019 US data, CDC)
  • Pedestrian injuries are a leading cause of death
  • Motor vehicle occupant injuries are leading causes of death and serious injury among most age groups, and the leading cause of death among adolescents, followed by suicide and homicide

04.04.23 Keeping Kids Safe Presentation