6 Ways to Prevent a Brain Injury

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, 1.4 million Americans sustain a brain injury each year. Deaths from head injuries account for 34% of all traumatic deaths, and approximately 5.3 million people in the U.S. live with a disability caused by TBI.

Read below for 6 ways to prevent a brain injury and add any other tips you can think of to the comments!

1. Wear a seat belt in a moving vehicle and make sure small children are properly buckled into an age-appropriate seat.
   FACT: Seat belts saved an estimated 12,584 vehicle passenger lives ages 5 and older.


2. Don't drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including prescription medications that may impair your driving skills.
   FACT: Motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of traumatic brain injury.


3. Wear a safety helmet while engaged in activities such as biking, contact sports, skating, horse riding, and skiing.
   FACT: 21% of all traumatic brain injuries among U.S. children and adolescents are contributed to by sports and recreational activities.


4. Avoid falling in or around your home by using a step stool with a grab bar, placing safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs, and using non-slip mats in the shower or bathtub.
   FACT: 35% of brain injuries are caused by falls, the leading cause of brain injuries among the elderly.


5. Install window guards to prevent children from falling out of windows.
   FACT: Nearly 15,000 children are injured and 15–20 children are killed each year in the U.S. due to falls from windows.


6. Be sure that playground surfaces are made of shock-absorbing material such as rubber, turf, or engineered wood fiber, not dirt or grass.
   FACT: 16,000 children suffer playground-related traumatic brain injuries each year.

It is critical to know the symptoms of a brain injury so it can be treated immediately. Click here for more information on brain injuries.