Safe Rhode Island:
Violence and Injury Prevention Program

Why Injury?

Injury is a serious public health threat.

Injury is the leading cause of death in the United States and Rhode Island among those ages 1 to 44, and is a major cause of hospitalizations and disability regardless of age, gender, and race/ethnicity status.

Injuries kill at least one person in Rhode Island every day.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of injury-related death in Rhode Island, and the leading cause of injury-related hospitalizations for 16-20 year olds.

It is estimated that one in eight adult women living in Rhode Island has been the victim of rape sometime in her life (Rape In Rhode Island: A Report to the State ).

Why Public Health?

• There is a major gap between what we already know about preventing injuries and what is being done in our communities, work places and clinics (The Institute of Medicine report, Reducing the Burden of Injury, 1999).
• Public health looks at illness and injury across the whole population not just individual cases.  Rhode Island injury data show a serious and widespread problem. It will take the whole community to address it.
• Injuries are predictable and preventable. Public health works toward preventing injuries before they happen by looking at predisposing factors/predictors.
• Public health brings diverse partners from other government agencies, local organizations, and community coalitions including professionals from child and adolescent health, traffic safety, emergency medical services, health care, education, law enforcement, fire prevention, social services, SAFE KIDS coalitions, and others to prevent injuries in our communities.