What is the magnitude and impact of traumatic injury in the United States? The statistics are sobering.

Each year in the United States trauma accounts for 37 million emergency department visits and 2.6 million hospital admissions.

Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for children in the United States. In fact, trauma is the #1 cause of death for the 1-44 years old age group – accounting for 47% of all deaths in this age range. Trauma is the 5th leading cause of death for the whole United States population.

The economic burden of trauma is estimated at an astounding $406 billion* per year (includes health care costs and lost productivity).

Approximately 66% of all injury-related emergency department visits are for unintentional injuries, and motor vehicle traffic is the #1 cause of death from unintentional injury.

Each year, over 8 million people are treated in emergency departments for non-fatal injuries related to falls.

Source for all these numbers is the CDC, July 2009

* Finkelstein, E.A., Corso, P.S., & Miller, T.R., The Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States.

Click here for links providing U.S. statistical tables, charts, and other trauma facts.