Every June, there is a national campaign to fight personal injuries and the life-altering consequences of accidents where victims are left seriously injured or even killed due to the negligence of others. Each year there are certain dangers which are spotlighted in this month-long awareness program.
This is National Safety Month: Be Safe Hoosiers!
This year, National Safety Month June 2015 is focused upon:
- prescription painkiller abuse
- transportation safety
- ergonomics
- emergency preparedness
- slips, trips and falls.
Serious Dangers from Prescription Pain Pills, Distracted Driving, and Fall Injuries
Of particular concern are the issues of prescription painkiller abuse, distracted driving, and injuries from falling at home, in school, at play, or at work on the job.
As injury lawyers, we understand that claims and lawsuits based upon these kinds of accidents and injuries may be tragic in how much suffering and pain and serious damage is felt not only by the victim, but also their loved ones.
For more on these issues, see our earlier posts, including:
- Doctors Are Writing Prescriptions for Pain Killers That Are Resulting In Overdoses: CDC Reports Physicians Are Supplying The Overdose Opioids
- 10 Surprising Facts About Distracted Driving in Indiana and Illinois
- Danger of Slip and Fall Injuries Up with Icy Weather: Be Careful! Don’t Fall!
How serious are these problems? Consider the following from the NSC:
Prescription painkiller abuse:
Prescription painkiller overdoses are a growing problem in the United States, especially among women. About 18 women die every day from a prescription painkiller overdose – more than 4 times as many as back in 1999.
Transportation safety:
Doing other activities while driving – like texting or eating – distracts you and increases your chance of crashing. Almost 1 in 5 crashes (17%) that injured someone involved distracted driving.
Slips, trips, and falls:
One in 3 older adults falls each year. Many falls lead to broken bones and other health problems.
