Home Safety Facts and Figures
- More accidents happen at home than anywhere else.
- Every year there are approximately 4000 deaths as the result of a home accident. Around 120 of these are below 15 years and 1300 over 75.
- During 2002 there were 2.7 million home accidents requiring hospital treatment, of which 477,500 involved children under five.
- Children under the age of 5 and people over 65 (particularly those over 75) are most likely to have an accident at home.
- Falls are the most common accidents, which can cause serious injury at any time of life. 55% of accidental injuries in the home involve falls.
- More women than men over the age of 65 die as the result of an accident in the home.
- Approximately 1500 people aged over 75 die annually as the result of a fall.
- Every year around 120 children under 14 die as the result of an accident in the home.
- Around 25,000 under 5s attend Accident and Emergency Departments each year after being accidentally poisoned.
- 26,000 under 5s are burnt or scalded in the home every year. A hot drink can still scald a small child up to 15 minutes after it is made.
- More accidents happen in the lounge/living room than anywhere else in the home.
- Every year over 4,200 children are involved in falls on the stairs and 4,000 children under the age of 15 are injured falling from windows.
- Boys have more accidents than girls.
- The cost to society of UK home accident injuries has been estimated at £25,000 million annually.
Even if you buy a ticket every week in a year you are twenty times more likely to suffer a fatal home accident that you are to win the National Lottery!!
Sources:
Home Accident Surveillance System including Leisure Activities 24th (final) Annual Report. London: Department of Trade and Industry, 2002 Data.
Office for National Statistics: Mortality Statistics; Injury and poisoning 2002; England and Wales.
Series DH4 no. 27
General Register Offices for Scotland: Annual Report of the Registrar General for Scotland 2002
General Register Office (Northern Ireland): Registrar General Annual Report 2002: Section 6 - Causes of death
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