National Safety Month Starts with You

Injuries are a leading cause of disability for people of all ages — and they are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 44. The good news is everyone can get involved to help prevent injuries.

During National Safety Month, Greater Waterbury Imaging Center is spreading the word with emails, social media, and blogging to raise awareness to help reduce the risk of injuries. This June, we encourage you to learn more about important safety issues like prescription painkiller abuse, transportation safety, and slips, trips, and falls.

Prescription painkiller abuse: Prescription painkiller overdoses are a growing problem in the United States, especially among women. About 18 women die every day from a prescription painkiller overdose — more than 4 times as many as back in 1999.

Transportation safety: Doing other activities while driving — like texting or eating — distracts you and increases your chance of crashing. Almost 1 in 5 crashes (17%) that injured someone involved distracted driving.

Slips, trips, and falls: One in 3 older adults falls each year. Many falls lead to broken bones and other health problems.