NEW YORK (Reuters) -- The number of American children dying from injuries suffered in accidents has dropped 26% since the National SAFE KIDS Campaign was launched in 1987, according to a report.
But Dr. C. Everett Koop, executive director of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, told the Senate Labor and Human Resources committee in Washington, DC, Tuesday that unintentional injuries remain the leading cause of death among children under the age of 14.
"We're making great strides, but we still have a long way to go," Koop said in his videotaped address to the Senate.
In a press statement, Koop noted that design improvements in car seats, bike helmets, toys and safety devices such as smoke alarms have decreased risks at home, at play, and while traveling. "But to be fair," he said, "the credit goes to countless parents, caregivers and children themselves -- they've done the little things that make such a big difference -- like buckling up on every ride, considering a bike helmet an essential part of bike riding, or making sure the smoke alarm has working batteries."
Dr. Heather Paul, chairman of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, told Congress that perhaps the best example of progress made in childhood injury prevention by her group and others is in the promotion of bike safety. "There has been a 40% decline (in the bicycle injury death rate) with the simple use of a bike helmet," Paul said. But at the same time, she noted that there has been a 5% to 10% increase in injuries from in-line skating. "We are encouraging the use of helmets, knee pads and wrist pads" for in-line skaters, Paul testified.
Other favorable trends include a 30% reduction in drownings among children and a nearly 40% drop in the childhood death rate from fire. The injury rate from infant walkers has dropped 10% in the past 10 years.
Paul said that while injury prevention is effective, "it is still not a national priority.... The major obstacle to prevention has always been the underestimation of risk." Officials with the National SAFE KIDS Campaign identify the following areas of focus to reduce childhood injury: motor vehicle occupant injury continues to top the list, followed by pedestrian injury, bicycle injury, drowning, fire and burns, airway obstruction injury and unintentional firearm injury, among others.
Koop and Paul called on Congress to enact more stringent laws to make "safety precautions a routine part of our everyday life." Legislation under consideration includes that Poison Control Center Enhancement and Awareness Act of 1998, which is aimed at preventing accidental poisoning. The bill, introduced by US Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH), would establish a national toll-free number "...to ensure all Americans have access to quality poison control services...." and launch a media campaign to education about poison prevention, according to a statement from DeWine's office.
May 2nd through 9th is designated "National Safe Kids Week." Every year, nearly 7,000 children under age 15 die and 50,000 are disabled due to preventable injuries sustained as a result of car accidents, drownings, fires, poisoning, choking, falls, and unintentional shootings.
