A traumatic brain injury is defined by a blow or penetration to the head that disrupts the normal function of the brain. Keeping that in mind here are some brain injury statistics. Nearly 1.5 million cases of TBI happen each year in the US. There are approximately 5.3 million people living with a TBI disability in the US alone! That number is staggering to me. The cost each year directly or indirectly from TBI injuries are estimated at $48 to $56 billion. At more then 20 times the hospitalizations for spinal cord injuries the number for TBI runs at 235,000 every year. When it comes to our children ages 14 or younger there are estimated 2,685 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations and 435,000 emergency room visits due to TBI’s. Sports and recreational activities contribute to 21% of TBI’s in our youth. Another number that is eye opening for me is the mortality rate for TBI is 30 per 100,000, or an estimated 50,000 in the US. Out of the 50,000 deaths, 50% die within the first two hours after their injury. Persons 60 or older have the highest death rates from a TBI due to the fact they have a higher risk of falling. After reading these statistics you can see that no age group is safe. Whenever we are partaking in an activity we need to be certain that we take all of the safety rules seriously. My daughter’s life was saved because she was wearing a helmet when she had a bicycle accident. Thanks to that helmet my daughter did not become a statistic. Helmets are just one way we can protect ourselves during biking or any other activity that requires one.

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