Preventable accidents involving guns and cars are responsible for six out of ten childhood deaths. According to a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine, these two factors account for the majority of childhood deaths in the United States. In comparison, childhood cancers are responsible for less than 1 in 10 deaths.
Children are dying in disproportionate numbers because of preventable accidents. In fact, the average child in the United States is 57% more likely to die by the age of 19 than those in other wealthy nations. Sadly, this is sobering fact for many U.S. parents.
Further Reading: Hit and Run Accidents are on the Rise
How Many Kids Are Getting Killed in Car Accidents?
Car crashes killed over 4,000 children and teenagers between the ages of 1 and 19 in 2016 – the leading cause of death. Young people living in rural areas were the most likely to be killed in a car accident.
In fact, they were 3x more likely to die in a car crash than those living in urban or suburban areas. The reason for these fatal accidents included distracted driving, drunk driving, and pedestrian accidents.
While car accidents are the number one cause of death for children under the age of 19, the rate at which children are dying in car accidents has actually decreased, thanks to numerous factors. Improvements in vehicle safety, emphasis on seat belt use, graduated driver-licensing programs, and health campaigns to reduce drunk driving are all responsible for the decrease in childhood vehicle fatalities.
Yet, it isn’t enough. Children die on American roads 3x more than children in other developed countries.
Guns are the second leading cause of childhood deaths in the United States and claimed the lives of more than 3,000 children in 2016. The majority of those deaths were homicides.
Between 2013 and 2016, the gun-death rate for children rose 28%. Sadly, children and teens living in the United States are 36x more likely to die from a gunshot injury than children in 12 other high-income countries around the world. Even more shocking is that 43% of all firearm owners keep their firearm unlocked and loaded.
Contact Our Arvada Injury Attorneys
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident in Arvada, Northglenn, Thornton, or anywhere in Northern Colorado, it is important to contact our experienced Arvada personal injury attorneys immediately. At Hull & Zimmerman, P.C., our committed lawyers are dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves justice. Contact us at (303) 423-1770 or (866) 385-3505.
Our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience representing injured accident victims in Broomfield, Arvada, Superior, Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Brighton, Commerce City, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, Longmont, and throughout Colorado.