Top 10 Sports & Recreation Injuries

Source: sadlersports.com - Top 10 Sports & Recreation Injuries
Author: John M. Sadler

Where’s the outrage for non-football related injuries?

I was reading through a recent list of common sports and recreation injuries and began to wonder why football and other higher risk sports get most of the negative media attention? Why not boating, bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, inflatable moon bounce, ATV, golf carts, or home injuries? Why is the media not screaming for these activities to be banned? Is the media biased against football?

To follow is the recently published list that prompts the question:

1. Kids ages 5 to 14 made up 52 percent of football-related injuries requiring emergency room visits in 2012.


2. 
   

   The U.S. Coast Guard reported 500 deaths, 2,620 injuries and $39 million in property damage related to recreational boating accidents in 2013.



3. Alcohol use is the no. 1 contributing factor in fatal boating accidents and contributes to 16 percent of boating-related deaths.


4. The top five contributing factors to boating accidents are operator inexperience, operator inattention, improper lookout, excessive speed and machinery failure.


5. The National Highway Safety Traffic Administration reported 720 bicyclists killed and 49,000 injured in motor vehicle accidents in 2012.


6. 
   

   An average of 41.5 people died in skiing or snowboarding accidents each year between 2002 and 2012.



7. More than 90 percent of the 113,272 injuries treated in emergency rooms associated with inflatable amusements were related to moon bounces between 2003 and 2013.


8. Between 1982 and 2013, 13,043 ATV-related deaths were reported.


9. Approximately 13,000 golf cart-related accidents require a visit to the emergency room each year.


10. In 2012 there were approximately 89,000 accidental injury-related deaths in homes and communities nationwide.

It goes without saying that good risk management practices could have prevented many of these injuries and deaths. Whether you’re competing in sports or enjoying leisure recreational activities indoors or out, safety should always be a priority. Visit our risk management page for helpful information on keeping you, your teammates, friends and family safe.

Source: Spotlight, Insurance Journal,  04 May, 2015, Vol. 93, No. 9.

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