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Home Injury Fact Sheet

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death among children ages 14 and under. In 1995, more than 6,600 children died from unintentional injuries; an estimated 40 percent of these deaths occurred in and around the home. Home injury deaths are caused primarily by fire and burns, drowning, suffocation, choking, unintentional firearm injury, falls, and poisoning. Young children are at the greatest risk from unintentional injuries in the home because it is where they spend the majority of their time. As children grow older, they spend less time in the home and the incidence of home injury deaths diminishes.

Deaths in the Home
Each year, approximately 2,700 children ages 14 and under die in the home from unintentional injuries. More than 70 percent of these deaths occur among children ages 4 and under.

Fire and Burns
Each year, approximately 750 children ages 14 and under die from fires and burns in the home. Of these children, two-thirds are ages 4 and under.

Drowning
Each year, nearly 400 children ages 14 and under drown in or around the home. Of these children, 85 percent are ages 4 and under.

Suffocation
Each year, nearly 375 children ages 14 and under suffocate in the home. Of these children, more than 80 percent are ages 4 and under.

Choking
Each year, nearly 200 children ages 14 and under choke to death in the home. Of these children, nearly 90 percent are ages 4 and under.

Unintentional Firearm Injury
Each year, more than 130 children ages 14 and under die from unintentional shootings in the home. Of these children, more than 85 percent are ages 5 to 14.

Falls
Each year, nearly 90 children ages 14 and under die as the result of falls in the home. Of these children, nearly 75 percent are ages 4 and under.

Poisoning
Each year, more than 50 children ages 14 and under die from poisonings in the home. Of these children, 60 percent are ages 4 and under.

Injuries in the Home
Among children ages 14 and under, it is estimated that half of all nonfatal unintentional injuries occur in and around the home. Every year, nearly 4.5 million children ages 14 and under are injured in the home.

This information was compiled by the National SAFE KIDS Campaign (NSKC), 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20004-1707. Permission is granted to distribute this fact sheet in unaltered format with credit given to NSKC.