Many accidents are not inevitable – teaching, modeling and encouraging safe behaviors can help prevent them.

Unintentional injuries kill more than 7,000 children ages 1-19 in the U.S. each year – close to 20 deaths per day. Injuries are the leading cause of child death, and these injuries are often preventable.

Prevention takes many forms. Government policy helps tremendously. As an example, regulations requiring carbon monoxide detectors allowed people to prevent or escape dangerous carbon monoxide buildup in their homes. Engineering innovations help also; car seats, child-resistant medication lids and soft playground surfaces each prevent countless injuries and deaths.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.