Falls--Injury Statistics and Incidence Rates

The following statistics are the latest available from the National SAFE KIDS Campaign.

Injury and death rates

• It is estimated that more than 2.2 million children ages 14 and under are treated annually at hospital emergency rooms for fall-related injuries.

• Reports show falls kill about 100 children ages 14 and under every year.

• More than half of fall-related injuries among children occur among ages 4 and under.

• About 12 children ages 10 and under die annually falling from windows. Another 4,000 children ages 10 and under require treatment each year for window fall-related injuries.

Where and when:

• Infants are more likely to fall from furniture, baby walkers, and stairs.

• Toddlers tend to fall from windows and playground equipment.

• Older children fall more often from playground equipment.

Who:

• Children who fall from windows are likely to be male, under age 5, and unsupervised at the time of the fall.

• Boys are twice as likely to die from fall-related injuries than girls.

Playgrounds:

• Each year, nearly 200,000 children, ages 14 and under, require emergency room treatment due to playground falls.

• The most severe playground-related injuries are due to falls.

• More than half of all playground-related injuries occur in children ages 5 to 9.

• Children ages 4 and under tend to suffer injuries to the face and head from playground-related injuries, while older children are more likely to injure arms or hands.