ACCIDENTS

Injure more than 1 crore (the magical figure today) Indians every year. In total population accidents take more than 100,000 lives a year, making them the fourth leading killer (after heart disease, cancer, and stroke). Accidents are the leading cause of death in children under 14.

Common causes of accidents

1. Cars and other motor vehicles account for nearly half of all accidental deaths. Motorcycles are statistically the most dangerous vehicle, causing the greatest number of deaths per number of machines and mini bikes pose dangers that make them unsafe for the youngsters for whom they are supposedly designed.
2. Falls are the second greatest accidental deaths, particularly hazardous to children.
3. Drowning follows in frequency. Take care for yourself and children around water. People drown not only while swimming in pools, lakes or oceans, but also while boating and diving.
4. Burns and other deaths from fire are next in prevalence. Using fireworks, often adds to the toll.
5. Choking the next largest category. For children suffocation is the leading cause of death in home accidents. Infants may strangle in their cribs, SIDS and choke on coins swallowed.
6. Poisons takes the next greatest toll. A multitude of household products can cause death, and attractive poisonous plants that bloom in every garden are often sampled by children.

When do accidents, most commonly, occur?

Be extra careful on Saturdays and between 3.00 and 6.00 p.m. That’s when accidents happen most often happen, according to an International study. The hospital’s study dealt with accidents to children, but most of the findings apply equally well to adults.

Accidents are most likely to occur when the family has departed in some degree from its usual routine, or under any of the following circumstances:

• The family members are hungry or tired.
• The mother is ill, about to menstruate or pregnant
• The mother is looking after another ill family member.
• The mother is rushed.
• The child is in the care of another person.
• The family is moving or taking a trip.
• The parents are under emotional stress.
• The parents overestimate or underestimate what the child is capable of. A mother may not realize that with a bit of ingenuity her 2-year old can reach a high shelf where pesticides are kept. Or she may not understand that a simple warning, such as "Don’t play with matches" is unlikely to deter a child under-5.

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