Some injuries can be prevented—others are random and unavoidable. Injury prevention aims to reduce the severity of injuries when they do happen, along with preventing them altogether. There are injury risks in a person’s community, at work, in recreational activities, during travel, and at school. Injuries are a leading cause of death among children and adults. However, there are steps a person can take to protect him or herself.

Injury prevention can save lives. Vehicle safety includes wearing a seatbelt, driving education, preventing distracted and impaired driving, and other road safety measures. Risks at home can include fire, drowning, falls, and poisoning. A person can be prevent injury by being aware of appliances and burning candles, putting barriers up around standing water, removing items off of the floor and always holding handrails when using the stairs, and storing hazardous chemicals away from children.

Traumatic brain injury is often linked to participation in sports. It is vital that athletes wear proper protective gear and have trained reactions to collisions with other players or surfaces. Injuries can have an extreme impact on a person’s life, his or her family’s life, and their financial situation. It is crucial to be aware of ways you can prevent injuries—from the avoidable, to the random unavoidable.