Brain Injury Statistics

Brain injury statistics might seem boring at times, but they can also point to alarming trends. In the ongoing tragedy that is traumatic brain injury (TBI), so many young people are severely disabled or killed. This represents an enormous waste of human potential. Who knows what such young people might have contributed to the world?

For the record, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) makes an astonishing statement: every 21 seconds, one person in the U.S.A. sustains a Traumatic Brain Injury. They also estimate that 5.3 million people, roughly two percent of the country's population, are living with resulting TBI disabilities. BIAA's figures on yearly traumatic brain injuries are actually higher than some sources. The organization estimates that one and a half million Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury every year, and 50,000 people die every year from that type of injury.

Other sources state that most concussion victims are young men, who were between the age of 16 and 25 when they were injured. However, more kids under the age of 14 end up in hospital emergency rooms because of biking injuries than any other sport. In addition, due to changing fads, scooter injuries have now surpassed in-line skating accidents.

Experts Need to Reach Young People

It's normal for young people to feel adventurous, defiant of rules, and even somewhat contemptuous of safety guidelines designed to enhance their lives. Their "invincible" attitude is reinforced by adult sports figures, who should know better, but who often set dubious examples for kids to follow. Child experts must do more than pray for the day that the good examples will again outweigh the bad. It's one thing to injure yourself, quite another to place a terrible burden on your family and on society, because of your attitude toward life.