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Press ReleaseOne Child Dies Every Three Weeks from a TV Tipping OverNew Report Reveals a 31% Increase in Injuries from Television Tip-Overs in the Last 10 YearsDecember 13, 2012
The study, A Report to the Nation on Home Safety: The Dangers of TV Tip-Overs, includes data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and new findings from Safe Kids Worldwide primary research. According to the CPSC, from 2000-2010, on average, a child dies every three weeks. The report shows that young children are at greatest risk of TV tip-overs. According to the research, 7 out of 10 children injured by TV tip-overs are 5 years old or younger. This age group also accounts for 9 out of 10 serious injuries requiring hospitalization, including head injuries, which are among the most severe. “Every 45 minutes, or less than the length of a Sesame Street episode, a child visits the ER because of a TV tipping over,” said Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Dramas and tragedies should be on TV, not caused by them.” Many TV tip-overs are a result of unsteady TVs that are not secured to the wall. Flat screen TVs that are top-heavy with narrow bases can be easily pulled off an entertainment center or table. Large and heavy old-style cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs placed on dressers or high furniture can also tip over if children climb the drawers to reach a remote control, a piece of candy, a video game or anything else that attracts their attention. The report also revealed that three out of four parents don’t secure their TV to the wall. Most families are unaware that securing a TV is an important safety measure. Others decide not to mount their TVs because of concerns about damaging the wall or installing the TV incorrectly. “You wouldn’t think to bring a baby home from the hospital without a car seat or have your child ride a bike without a helmet,” said Carr. “Mounting your TV will protect your TV, and most important, your child.” Safe Kids Worldwide is launching a national effort to prevent injuries from TV and furniture tip-overs and educate communities by calling on families to conduct a quick TV safety check, which includes the following steps:
Go to www.safekids.org to learn more. #### About Safe Kids Worldwide Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 600 coalitions in the U.S. and in 23 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings and more. Since 1988, Safe Kids has helped reduce the U.S. childhood death rate from unintentional injury by 53 percent. Working together, we can do much more for kids everywhere. Join our effort at safekids.org. About SANUS Media ContactJen Pollakusky December 13, 2012
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