Taking Charge of your Personal Safety Accidents are the leading cause of death for people 1 to 45 years of age People in a university environment are at significant risk for violence Just because you feel safe does not mean you are safe

Home Safety Many hazards exist within our own homes Conduct a personal safety survey of your environment Suggestions for home safety include: install and maintain smoke detectors do not live higher than the fifth floor never smoke in bed do not overload electrical outlet require all maintenance workers to show identification

Detectors Properly installed and maintained smoke detectors could prevent 40% to 55% of fire deaths Carbon monoxide (CO) causes about 75% of inhaled poison deaths CO detectors are available for home installation

Minor Injuries Common recreational injuries include blisters, bruises, sprains, muscle cramps, nosebleeds, wounds, and sunburns Know the safety rules of your recreational activity; use safe and appropriate equipment, and remain alert Take a first-aid course to prepare yourself to deal with unexpected situations

Cycling and Skateboarding In 1995, 900 bicyclists were killed and more than 600,000 suffered disabling injuries When cycling, always wear a helmet and obey traffic rules More than 80,000 people a year require hospital emergency room treatment for skateboarding injuries

In-line Skating and Boating In-line skater should purchase good skates and keep them in good condition Everyone planning to operate a boat should take a course on boat or personal watercraft safety Use of a personal flotation device (PFD) could prevent most boating deaths

Boating Most boating accidents and deaths are caused by operator error- inattention, carelessness, intoxication, and speeding It is the boat owner’s responsibility to know and practice Coast Guard safety recommendations and to ensure that all passengers wear a PFD

Snowmobile Safety The Snowmobile Safety and Certification Committee (SSCC) has developed standards for snowmobiles Only use snowmobiles with Certification 1 of the SSCC noted on the machine Human error causes 85% of all vehicle accidents

Vehicle Safety The leading contributors to vehicle accidents are use of alcohol and drugs, improper driving, and drowsiness At least 5,000 deaths and 70,000 critical injuries a year could be prevented if people wore their seat belts Road rage kills an average of 1500 people each year and injures another 800,000

Vehicle Safety Vehicle drivers other than the motorcyclist cause 65% of all motorcycle collisions Always wear a helmet on a motorcycle or moped Nearly 60% of pedestrian accidents are caused by jaywalking

Violence Intentional violence accounts for 50,000 deaths and 2 million injuries a year Many violent crimes have been committed at ATM sites in recent years A gun is used in 70% of all carjackings To prevent carjackings, always keep your car doors locked

Intentional Injury Acquaintance rape is forced sexual intercourse between people who know each other well Date rape is a form of acquaintance rape involving forced sexual intercourse between people who are in a dating situation Rapes are committed by people who know the people they attack 50% of the time; alcohol or other drugs are usually involved The psychological reaction experienced by most rape survivors is called rape trauma syndrome

Violence Young African-American men are at highest risk for being murdered—they face a 1 in 20 lifelong chance Drugs are a factor in 25% to 50% of all homicides More than 2.5 million women experience some form of domestic violence each year

Abuse The most frequent form of child abuse is neglect; physical abuse is second, followed by sexual abuse Elderly abuse can take the form of denying food and medical care, or hitting, kicking, or robbing the victim

Prejudice Most hate crimes are motivated by racial bias, followed by religious bias, sexual-orientation bias, and ethnicity or national origin bias