More than 10,000 fatalities resulted from injury, which accounted for 6 percent of all deaths in Indiana.

Accidental deaths comprised 65 percent of all injury-related deaths.

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause for persons aged 1 to 34 years.

Call Dan Chamberlain to see how he can help you.

Traumatic Brain Injury Prevention

There are many ways to reduce the chances that you or your family members will have a concussion or more serious brain injury:

• Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
• Buckle your child in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt (according to the child’s height, weight, and age).
  •Children should start using a booster seat when they outgrow their child safety seats (usually when they weigh about 40 pounds). They should continue to ride in a booster seat until the lap/shoulder belts in the car fit properly, typically when they are approximately 4’9” tall.
• Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Wear a helmet and make sure your children wear helmets that are fitted and maintained properly when:
  • Riding a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, scooter, or all-terrain vehicle;
  • Playing a contact sport, such as football, ice hockey, lacrosse, or boxing;
  • Using in-line skates or riding a skateboard;
  • Batting and running bases in baseball or softball;
  • Riding a horse; or
  • Skiing, sledding, or snowboarding.
• Ensure that during athletic games and practices, you and/or your children:
  • Use the right protective equipment (should be fitted and maintained properly in order to provide the expected protection);
  • Follow the safety rules and the rules of the sport;
  • Practice good sportsmanship; and
  • Do not return to play with a known or suspected concussion until you have been evaluated and given permission by an appropriate health care professional.
• Make living areas safer for seniors by:
  • Removing tripping hazards such as throw rugs and clutter in walkways;
  • Using nonslip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors;
  • Installing grab bars next to the toilet and in the tub or shower;
  • Installing handrails on both sides of stairways;
  • Improving lighting throughout the home; and
  • Maintaining a regular exercise program to improve lower body strength and balance, if your health care professional agrees.
• Make living areas safer for children by:
  • Installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows;
  • Using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around;
  • Keeping stairs clear of clutter;
  • Securing rugs and using rubber mats in bathtubs; and
  • Not allowing children to play on fire escapes or on other unsafe platforms.
• Make sure the surface on your child’s playground is made of
  shock-absorbing material, such as hardwood mulch or sand,
  and is maintained to an appropriate depth.