Making Communities Safer with Injury Prevention Programs

Childhood injuries can be prevented with the right knowledge.

Preventable injuries claim the lives of 9,000 children in the U.S. every year. Thousands more end up in emergency rooms after car accidents, drownings, or firearm violence.

These visits are not only tragic; they are also avoidable.

Across the country, children’s hospitals lead community efforts to keep families safe and kids out of the hospital.

While National Injury Prevention Day highlights this work one day a year, these efforts are happening every day and leave a lasting impact.

Increasing awareness

The Children’s Hospital Association is excited by the announcement this spring of a Congressional Children’s Safety Caucus. We look forward to partnering with Safe Kids Worldwide and the Caucus to bring more awareness of injury prevention topics to Capitol Hill.

Safe Kids Worldwide brings together more than 300 coalitions taking action across the U.S. to provide proven and practical ways to keep kids safe. Of those, nearly one-third are based in children’s hospitals.

“Children’s hospitals are on the frontlines of injury prevention efforts,” said Torey Mack, MD, chief medical officer at CHA. “The key to keeping kids safe is continuing to invest in evidence-based injury prevention.”

The coalitions and children’s hospitals host safety events, conduct workshops, advocate at all levels of government, distribute free safety devices, and teach families how to keep kids injury-free.

Helping families travel safely

Installing a car seat might seem easy, but it can be difficult to do correctly. Kids are at a high risk of injury in car crashes, but using car and booster seats in the right manner reduces this risk.

Naturally, parents worry about getting it right. Fortunately, children’s hospitals across the country are helping families learn how to properly install and use car seats through free car seat distribution and inspections and education programs.

In 2024, Children’s Nebraska provided 189 car seats to families at fitting stations, inpatient units, and events.

The hospital’s child passenger safety specialist also inspected 617 seats to ensure child safety in vehicles.

These programs help families stay informed and feel confident about car seat safety – mile after mile.

Making waves in water safety

Kids splash in their backyard pool. Parents chat nearby, and in the blink of an eye, their lives are altered forever. There was no sound of distress when the child drowned.

Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1-4. But education and awareness can change that.

Nicklaus Children’s collaborates with local organizations to promote water safety through supervision, barriers, and tools like bilingual “water watcher” cards. The hospital also hosts summer education events, classes for parents of children with autism, and school-based water safety programming.

And each lesson can make a difference whether it’s in the bathtub or the ocean.

Engaging in safe sleep practices

A mother gently places a newborn in the crib with no blankets, stuffed animals, or pillows around.

This practice could save her child’s life.

Children’s hospitals are leading efforts to teach sleep recommendations. The safe sleep program at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a driving force to lower rates of infant deaths in the region. Their initiative uses a three-pronged approach:

• Education with new or expectant parents through Safe Sleep Showers, workshops, or a visit from a partner home visiting program. Parents also receive a Safe Sleep Kit, which includes a safe sleep board book, pacifier, sleep sack, and information packet.
• A portable crib referral program that has provided more than 2,000 free cribs to new and expectant parents.
• Community members who receive training to serve as Safe Sleep Ambassadors. These individuals reach out to their network to spread knowledge of safe sleep and distribute Safe Sleep Kits. More than 100 ambassadors have been trained, including grandparents, fathers, and mothers.

Creating safer environments

Launched in 2020 by the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, National Injury Prevention Day on Nov. 18 serves as a reminder that we can build safer communities for all. Kids are going to fall and tumble, but there are things we can all do to help ensure children avoid more serious injuries.

Children’s hospitals are creating safer environments for children and families every day – and not just at the bedside.

Because across every safety event, lessons are learned, children are protected, and tragedy is prevented.

Learn more about children’s hospitals’ injury prevention efforts and Safe Kids safety tips.