Many injuries can be prevented by either identifying their causes and removing these, or where this is not possible, reducing our exposure to them.9
The environments in which we live play a significant role in determining injury risks and the opportunities for injury prevention. These environments include our:
- physical environment – things such as roads, vehicles, buildings and the settings in which we live, work and play
- socio-economic environment – factors such as education, income and employment status, which shape opportunities for, and knowledge about, safety
- socio-cultural environment – factors, such as gender, age and cultural background, which influence choices that affect our safety
- lifestyles and behaviours – these influence our safety and are shaped by our attitudes, knowledge and constrained by environmental factors.9
Prevention of events likely to result in injury is usually the best approach. For example, the risk of a motor vehicle crashing is reduced by good road design and traffic control, by designing vehicles that are easy to control, and by ensuring that drivers are well-trained and not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Barriers can reduce injury risk by keeping people away from hazards. For example, suitable pool fences and child-resistant closures on containers for poisons contribute to child safety.9
The likelihood and severity of injury can also be reduced by using safety devices such as seat belts, air bags and crumple zones in cars.
Injury prevention programs in NSW
Many programs aimed at injury prevention are conducted in NSW including:
- Road safety forum, bStreetSmart – an initiative of the Westmead Hospital Trauma Service
- Falls from windows – campaign from The Children's Hospital at Westmead
- Ladder safety – an ITIM initiative