Unintentional injuries rank third in importance behind cancer and heart disease.
Each year, about 2.6 million people are hospitalized for non-fatal injuries. Each year, about 37.2 million people are treated in hospital emergency departments. Economic impact of fatal and nonfatal unintentional injuries amounted to 478.3 billion dollars in 1997. Every 40 seconds someone in the US seeks medical care for a dog bite. Each year, over 600,000 people are treated in emergency departments for bicycle-related injuries and 824 die from this type of injury.