California Leads States in Injury Prevention

(NEW YORK) -- When it comes to injury prevention—with tougher policies on such things as seat belt use, bike helmets and drunk driving—New York and California lead the way, according to a report released Tuesday by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The report ranks states on steps taken to reduce the risk of accidental injury, the country's fifth-leading cause of death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New York and California scored nine out of 10 on a list of injury prevention policies. The report says state policies aimed at curbing accidents and violence pay off in the number of lives saved. New York has an annual accidental injury rate of 37.1 per 100,000 people compared to Montana's 86.5, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national average is 57.9 deaths due to injury per 100,000 people.

"There are proven, evidence-based strategies that can spare millions of Americans from injuries each year," Trust executive director Jeff Levi said in a statement. "This report focuses on specific, scientifically supported steps we can take to make it easier for Americans to keep themselves and their families safer."

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