Abstract
Injury is the leading cause of all death for persons from age 1 to 44 years, as well as the most common cause of hospitalizations for persons under age 40. The financial costs of injuries are staggering: injuries cost billions of dollars in health care and social support resources. In 1990, for example, the lifetime costs of all injuries were estimated at $215 billion annually. These estimates do not include the emotional burden resulting from the loss of a child or loved one or the toll of servere disabillity on the injured person and his/her family.