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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Injury Prevention

Contact the Violence and Injury Prevention Section

  •  850-245-4455
  •  

    Mailing Address

    Violence and Injury Prevention Section 

    4052 Bald Cypress Way 

    Bin A13 

    Tallahassee, FL 32399 

What is Injury?

Injury is defined as “physical harm or damage to someone’s body.”  Whether intentional or unintentional, injuries can be predicted and prevented.

Unintentional injuries include those that result from motor vehicle collisions (including those that involve pedestrians and bicyclists), drownings, falls, firearms, and recreational and sports-related activities.

Intentional injuries result from interpersonal or self-inflicted violence, and include homicide, assaults, suicide and suicide attempts, child abuse and neglect (including child sexual abuse), intimate partner violence, elder abuse and sexual assault. 

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Florida's Need for Injury Prevention

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among Florida residents ages 1-44 and the fourth leading cause of death overall after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death overall among Florida residents (Florida Vital Statistics Annual Report 2019). In 2019, injuries claimed 18,159 lives and accounted for 8.8 percent of all resident deaths. 

In 2019 (most current national injury data), Florida’s age-adjusted injury rate for all injuries was 8.90 percent higher than the national average. Florida's rates were 12.57 percent higher than the national average for unintentional injuries, 5.66 percent higher for violence-related injuries. Compared with the nation's six most populous states, Florida's injury death rates were highest in the following categories: motor vehicle injuries, suicides, drowning, pedestrian, and pedal cyclist.

Injury-Related Fatality Rates, 2020
  

US

  
  

FL

  
  

CA

  
  

TX

  
  

NY

  
PA  

IL

  
  

FL vs. US

  

 All Injuries

80.83

89.39

60.83

66.32

56.32

91.54

76.08

11.70%

Unintentional Injuries

57.53

67.59

43.95

44.18

41.52

69.02

53.31

17.49%

Motor Vehicle Injuries

12.56

15.73

11.01

13.82

6.00

9.29

10.19

25.24%

Falls (Ages 65+)

65.94

72.70

40.63

50.52

43.35

77.79

55.57

10.25%

Drownings (Ages 0-9)

1.54

3.32

1.20

2.11

0.67*

1.42*

0.94*

115.58%

Pedestrian**

2.29

3.16

3.07

2.51

1.50

1.36

1.80

37.99%

Pedal Cyclist**

0.35

0.77

0.43

0.31

0.36

0.21

0.29

120%

Violence-Related Injuries

21.47

21.13

16.29

21.14

12.72

21.21

21.81

-1.58%

Suicides

13.48

13.12

9.98

13.33

8.00

12.55

10.53

-2.67%

Homicides

7.74

7.71

6.04

7.55

4.63

8.48

11.17

-0.39%

Poisoning

29.78

36.44

23.24

15.26

26.36

43.59

29.39

22.36%

Drug Poisoning28.2435.0221.7314.1225.3042.4728.07

24.00%

Source:  CDC WISQARS

* Potentially unstable rate based on a total of fewer than 20 events.


** Pedestrian and pedal cyclist categories include motor vehicle traffic and nontraffic categories.


Injuries and violence can have an economic impact in the United States. “Nearly $130 billion of the fatal injury costs were attributable to unintentional injuries, followed by suicide ($50.8 billion) and homicide ($26.4 billion).” (https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/overview/cost_of_injury.html)

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Florida's Violence and Injury Prevention Section (VIPS)

The VIPS addresses statewide injury prevention priorities by providing technical assistance, information and resources to community partners.

Early Childhood Drowning Prevention—Florida leads the country in drowning deaths of children ages 1-4 years. The “WaterSmartFL: Water Safety Is Everyone’s Responsibility” initiative educates parents, caregivers, and communities about drowning risks and prevention strategies. The campaign identifies three layers to increase pool safety and reduce childhood drowning: supervision, barriers and emergency preparedness. An on-line toolkit is available at www.watersmartfl.com.

Older Adult Falls Prevention—Unintentional falls are the leading cause of injury death among Florida residents ages 65 years and older and the fourth leading cause of injury death overall. In addition, falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injury-related hospital admissions in Florida.

Safe Kids Florida—Local coalitions provide leadership in their communities in an effort to reduce the number of childhood injuries, a leading killer of children ages 19 and under.

Distracted Driving Prevention—Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person's attention away from the primary task of driving.  All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety.  The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses. Partners in this effort include SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), Safe Kids coalitions, emergency medical services and local, county and state law enforcement agencies. 

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Family Fire Safety Plan

One way to make your home safer is to have a Family Fire Safety Plan.  Make fire safety a family event by including your kids in the planning and practice. Have your kids help you test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home. Older kids can help make a fire escape plan the whole family can practice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6pD1QhdSA

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Make Safe Happen App

Every year, unintentional injuries at home send millions of kids to the ER. Did you know there’s an app to help you make your home safer? Follow room-to-room safety checklists, create to-do lists, set reminders, and track your progress.

http://makesafehappen.com/get-the-app

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