As children nationwide return for a new school year this August and September, Soliant has released the 2023 School Injury Report to educate parents on the most common dangers in schools for students. The report analyzes the most common causes and types of school-related injuries, including advice from medical professionals on how parents should talk to their children about school safety.
Unintentional school injuries primarily occur during the commute to school and during recess and recreational activities. By analyzing data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and more, Soliant has identified spikes in specific injuries during the start of school years.
“While we all hope that our children are practicing safe behaviors while at school, injuries can still happen. However, with the information in this report on what causes injuries to our children once we send them off to school, parents and school professionals are able to provide informed safety education to prevent unintentional injuries,” said Lesley Slaughter, SVP of Soliant Education.
The 2023 School Injury Report examines a variety of potential school-related injuries for elementary school students (ages 5-10), middle school students (ages 11-13), and high school students (ages 14-18). Explore the findings of our report below, including advice and insights from Soliant medical experts on how to prepare your child for the upcoming school year.
School Commute Injuries
From walkers to bikers, carpoolers to bus riders, the commute students take to school should be an enjoyable, safe experience. Choosing the right transportation option for your child is an important process that should consider a wide range of safety factors, including your child’s experience, age, physical abilities, level of awareness, distance from school, and more.
Roughly 11% of students get to and from school by walking or riding a bike, according to the most recent National Household Travel Survey data from 2017. However, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), it’s not advised to allow children to take this school commute alone until about fifth grade.
Soliant analyzed NHTSA data as part of the 2023 School Injury Report, uncovering trends that further support recommendations to delay solo commutes for younger children.
Looking at data from 2017 to 2021, the report found that the number of children aged 5-15 who were injured in a motor vehicle accident while walking historically spikes at the beginning of each school year.
In 2021, the most recent data available, the number of children aged 5-15 who were injured in a motor vehicle accident while walking increased 165% from August to September.
In addition to higher rates of injuries occurring at the start of each school year, the time in which injuries occur correlates with school commute times. From 2012 to 2021, more school-age pedestrians were killed from 6 to 6:59 a.m. and 3 to 3:59 p.m. than any other hours of the day, according to the NHTSA.
Middle school in particular is often associated with a new era of independence and responsibilities for students. Grades 6-8, or ages 11-13, are a time when many parents feel their child is self-sufficient and mature enough to manage their own commute to school. However, national data shows significantly higher spikes in injuries to middle school-aged pedestrians and bike riders during the start of the school year.
In 2021, the number of middle school-aged children who were injured in a motor vehicle accident while walking increased 138% from July to September. For middle school-aged cyclists, injuries increased by 168% between these two months.
Soliant Safety Advice
Below are safety tips and advice recommended by Soliant health experts to help prevent injuries to children when traveling to and from school:
- If your child is walking or biking to school or walking to a school bus pick-up location, practice the route multiple times before the first day. Ensure the child is aware of any high-traffic areas, crosswalks, stop signs, traffic lights, or any other potentially dangerous paths that they should place close attention to.
- Ensure your child gets plenty of rest and is able to walk, bike, or get onto their school bus attentively.
- Teach and practice general safety rules with your child, for example, to look both ways multiple times before crossing a street or to wait for the school bus to reach a complete stop before approaching.
- Regularly check and maintain your child’s bike, scooter, or other mode of transportation. Ensure your child always wears a helmet when they’re cycling.
Injuries in Schools
Once children make it to school, their safety is supported by the remarkable teachers, nurses, support staff, and more that fill our nation’s education system. However, it’s important to educate your child that while they’re still under supervision of trained and responsible adults, they have reached an age where they need to practice responsibility and critical thinking skills to be safe both inside and outside of the classroom.
According to the CDC, sports and recreation activities were the most frequently reported cause of injury-related emergency department visits among pediatric patients, representing approximately 1 in 5 injury-related emergency department visits among patients aged 19 and under. And according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), each year, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children for playground-related injuries.
Soliant analyzed 2022 data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) to determine what injuries were occurring in schools the most. In 2022, the top ten items or activities that caused the most injuries in school for each age group are as follows:
Elementary School (Ages 5-10)
- Playground climbing apparatus
- Sport or recreational activity (not classified)
- Playground equipment (not specified)
- Floors
- Slides or sliding boards
- Chairs
- Stairs or steps
- Doors
- Football
- Soccer
Middle School (Ages 11-13)
- Sport or recreational activity (not classified)
- Football
- Basketball
- Stairs or steps
- Floors
- Soccer
- Other ball sports
- Ceilings and walls
- Exercise
- Volleyball
High school (Ages 14-18)
- Football
- Basketball
- Sports or recreational activity (not classified)
- Stairs or steps
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Track & field
- Soccer
- Floors
- Ceilings and walls
Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
In every school age group, boys were injured more than girls. Males made up roughly 60% of elementary school injuries, 62% of middle school injuries, and 61% of high school injuries. For both boys and girls, 13-year-olds were injured more than any other school age.
In terms of playground equipment, climbing apparatuses like monkey bars caused the most injuries to children in 2022—and roughly 53% of these injuries resulted in a fracture.
The Most Common School Injuries of Every State
Soliant Safety Advice
Soliant medical experts recommend sharing these tips with children on safe school play:
- Keep a safe distance away from swings when they are in use. When using swings, always be sure to hold on with two hands.
- Before playing on playground equipment, check to see if the equipment is too slippery or too hot. Holding on to monkey bars or running on platforms when they are too slippery or hot can cause falls and burn injuries.
- Always make sure other students are out of the way when using a slide or swing.
While climbing equipment causes the most injuries, it can be safe and fun when used properly. Ensure your child knows to use both hands when climbing and to stay a safe distance away from other students and swinging feet. They should know how to properly drop down from monkey bars, completely straight with knees bent.
“Education is the best form of prevention for unintentional injuries. Each new school year is an opportunity for students to take on more responsibility and self-sufficiency—and that should be celebrated. Ensure your child is prepared in 2023 by taking time to practice safety together, and together, we can make it another great school year,” said Lesley Slaughter, SVP of Soliant Education.