Unintentional injuries rank third in importance behind cancer and heart disease.
The most common causes of injuries seen in emergency departments are from traffic accidents, falls, and violence. Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death in children between the ages of 1 and 21. Economic impact of fatal and nonfatal unintentional injuries amounted to 480.5 billion dollars in 1998. Approximately 333,687 dog bite injuries are treated in emergency rooms yearly. Each year, over 600,000 people are treated in emergency departments for bicycle-related injuries and 824 die from this type of injury.