ABSTRACT
Accidents are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, after heart conditions, cancer, and stroke. Accidental deaths currently number approximately 90,000 per year, and represent approximately 10% of annual deaths from all causes. Approximately half of all accidental deaths are vehicular in origin, and the other half are almost equally divided among home, occupational, and public settings (National Safety Council, 1989). A common rule of thumb is that for every accidental death that occurs, there are approximately 10 accidents requiring some medical attention, often of a serious nature (Heinrich, 1931). For every nonfatal accident, there are, in turn, approximately 10 near-miss encounters.
