Injury Prevention

Injury Facts

In 2007/08, over 1,600 New Zealanders died as the result of injury. That's 134 people each month, or around four each day. In fact, someone in New Zealand is injured every 17 seconds.

In 2007/08 the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) received 1.8 million claims and paid $2.4 billion in total claims costs.

Injury is the leading cause of death from people aged 1-34 years. It is also one of the two main causes of inpatient treatment in public hospitals for those aged 5-34 years.

• Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation across all age groups, accounting for 40% of all injury hospitalisations. 
• Suicide is the leading cause of injury-related death for people aged 20-74 years. More people die by suicide each year than through traffic crashes.
• For children aged 0-14 years on of the leading causes causes of injury-related death involves children as passengers in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Children of Maori descent are more likely than any other ethnic group to be killed as an occupant in a motor vehicle crash. 

New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy (NZIPS)

The New Zealand Injury Prevention Strategy has identified six national injury prevention priority areas which collectively account for at least 80% of injury deaths and serious injuries in New Zealand:

• Motor vehicle traffic crashes
• Suicide and deliberate self-harm
• Falls
• Workplace injuries
• Assault
• Drowning