SAFE KIDS is a worldwide association dedicated to preventing unintentional childhood injury. Currently, unintended injuries kill more American children than suicide, violence, and disease. In fact, unintentional injury is the number one killer of children in this country. Injuries to minors and children are preventable and are a serious problem, according to SAFE KIDS.

Unintentional injury is the number one cause of disability and death for Florida children 14 years of age and younger. Each year, more than 250 000 Florida children are treated in emergency rooms as a result of unintentional injuries and 7 000 children in Florida are admitted to hospitals each year because of these injuries. Treatment and hospital admissions costs for childhood unintentional injuries are more than $100 million annually in Florida alone, according to SAFE KIDS statistics.

According to SAFE KIDS, injuries to minors and children are most likely to be a result of:

* automobile and traffic accidents (including pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents)
* fires and burns
* firearm accidents
* drowning
* slip and falls
* poisoning
* suffocation or choking
* farm-related injuries
SAFE KIDS Florida is teamed with the Florida Department of Health, Office of Injury Prevention, and SAFE KIDS Worldwide. The group organizes awareness campaigns and organizes local chapters which identify and target local injury factors. SAFE KIDS creates programs which aim to reduce injuries to minors. The group offers safety tips and raises awareness about recalls that can affect children. SAFE KIDS Florida has a team of public health officials, EMS, health care practitioners, firefighters, teachers, and business professionals who help with programs and campaigns. Right now, there are 6 Florida SAFE KIDS chapters and 11 local coalitions of SAFE KIDS in Florida.

Parents who wish to learn more about keeping children safe and wish to contribute to the work that SAFE KIDS is involved in can join a local chapter or coalition. Non-members can turn to SAFE KIDS when teaching their children about safety as well.

If your child has been injured, contact qualified Florida attorneys so that you can learn about your options. Call The Law Offices of Flaxman & Lopez at 1- 800-535-2962 (1 800 5 FLAXMAN) to arrange for a free, no-obligation consultation.