National Action Plan for Child Injury Prevention

Protecting Our Nation’s Future

Injury is the #1 killer of children and teens in the United States. In 2009, more than 9,000 youth age 0-19 died from unintentional injuries in the United States. Millions more children suffer injuries requiring treatment in the emergency department. Leading causes of child injury include motor vehicle crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires, and falls (1). Child injury is predictable and preventable. It is also among the most under-recognized public health problems facing our country today.
Progress has been made in preventing child injury. Child injury death rates have decreased 29% in the last decade (2). Yet injury is still the leading cause of death for children and teens. More can be done to keep our children safe.

A National Action Plan

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to preventing child injury by supporting solutions that will save lives and help children live to their fullest potential. The National Action Plan for Child Injury Prevention was developed by CDC and more than 60 stakeholders to spark action across the nation. The National Action Plan’s overall goals are to:

Raise awareness about the problem of child injury and the effects on our nation.
Highlight prevention solutions by uniting stakeholders around a common set of goals and strategies.
Mobilize action on a national, coordinated effort to reduce child injury.