The most common causes of unintentional death. When we think of the common reasons people die, we usually think of health-related causes; cancer, heart disease, and stroke are some leading causes. Thanks to medical science, we control our health and can prolong our lives even when living with the conditions mentioned above. That is why it can be so surprising to realize that people die unintentionally every day.
Here are the most common causes of unintentional death and how you can prevent them.
Choking
It might surprise you to read that choking is one of the top five causes of accidental death. Choking is fairly common in adults, especially for older adults. Thankfully, choking is 100 percent preventable, as there are many precautions we can take to avoid it.
First and foremost, don’t bite off more than you can chew. Take care to chew your food slowly and try not to laugh or talk with your mouth full. When reading these tips, they seem like obvious things you would do. However, when you are at dinner with your closest friends and having a good time, it is pretty easy for you to make these mistakes.
Most Common Causes of Unintentional Death
Poisoning
Poison is any toxic chemical that is absorbed through the skin, inhaled, or ingested that can cause injury or death. Exposure to carbon monoxide and certain household chemicals are some common causes of unintentional death from poisoning. If you believe you or someone you know may have ingested poison, contact Poison Control as soon as possible. Accidental death by poisoning happens much more often than you might imagine.
We tend to live in close proximity to cleaning products that can contain harmful chemicals, especially for younger kids. Make sure to store your cleaning products up high where kids can’t reach. You might even consider putting a child lock on the cabinet that houses your products. Moreover, install or double-check that your carbon monoxide monitor is up to date and functioning correctly.
Most Common Causes of Unintentional Death
Falls
As we age, our muscles, bones, and ligaments weaken, making it hard for us to hold ourselves up. Moreover, our bones become much more brittle, making it quite easy to break a hip from a fall that might not have left so much as a superficial scratch when we were younger. In addition, healing from such injuries takes much longer for the elderly and can result in complications.
Unintentional death from falling is more of serious concern for our elderly. Nonetheless, we must try to do what we can to avoid this preventable death. If you notice an older adult struggling, you might consider offering your help. Moreover, if you have an older loved one living with you, try to install accommodations to make moving around more accessible and safer.
Motor Vehicle
Unintentional death by way of a motor vehicle might be the one thing on this list that doesn’t entirely surprise you—unfortunately, it is all too common. It can feel scary knowing countless other people are manning a 2,000-pound vehicle driving at unprecedented rates right beside you. It might seem like you have no control, but that’s not true; there are things you can do to prevent a fatal accident.
Most Common Causes of Unintentional Death
Nearly half of all people in fatal vehicular accidents weren’t wearing their seatbelts. It might be second nature to click yourself in, but nonetheless, make sure you always put your seatbelt on before venturing out. Finally, put away your phone when driving—at best, this is a bad habit, but it can be fatal at worst.
Read more – What are Early Signs of Dementia
