Florida had the 18th highest rate of injury-related deaths, according to a new report conducted by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. These types of injuries stem from auto accidents, prescription drug abuse, texting while driving and other acts of carelessness.
The report also looked at “indicators” of each state’s efforts to curb injury-related deaths. Such indicators measured in Florida included things like the state’s absence of a motorcycle helmet law, and lack of mandatory ignition interlocks for drivers accused of DUI. Based on these indicators, Florida scored 6 out of 10 for instituting polices to prevent accidents and injuries.
These injury-related deaths are often caused by preventable accidents, including:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
According to the report, 67 per 100,000 people in Florida are killed by preventable injuries, which could have been avoided if someone had not acted negligently. The national rate is about 58 deaths per 100,000 people.
You can read the full report, “The Facts Hurt: A State-by-State Injury Prevention Policy Report,” at www.healthyamericans .org.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident or suffered an injury caused by someone else in Orlando, Florida, please contact the Law Offices of Michael Barszcz, M.D., J.D., to schedule a consultation.