U.S. Deaths from Falls Skyrocket
You don’t see many prime-time news headlines about fatal injuries from falls, yet the numbers have skyrocketed since 2000 and now approach annual deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents. The National Safety Council recorded 34,673 fatal falls in 2016 compared to 13,322 in 2000, a 160 percent increase. Americans killed in car crashes in 2016 totaled 40,327. A driving factor in this tidal wave of falls is the growing number of elderly Americans. But as we discuss here this month, falls occur to people in all age groups in all settings. Learn more about how we can all help prevent falls.