Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Law and Injury Prevention

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion

  • 341 Accesses

Introduction

Injuries kill more people during the first four decades of life than any other cause (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012a), and law has been one of the most effective tools to reduce injuries. Whether by causing behavior change, requiring modification of the physical environment, or bringing about improvements in the safety of products, laws have reduced injuries and saved lives.

As just a few examples, laws requiring drivers and passengers to wear seat belts, requiring parents to put children in child safety seats, and encouraging people not to drink and drive have helped reduce traffic fatalities by 25 % since 2005, resulting in the lowest recorded since 1949, despite a significant increase in the number of miles Americans drove during the year (U.S. Department of Transportation & National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], 2011). Laws requiring helmet use while riding motorcycles and bicycles have reduced traumatic brain injuries and laws...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 1,500.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 1,799.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Allegrante, J. C., Hanson, D., Marks, R., & Sleet, D. A. (2010). Ecological approaches to the prevention of unintentional injuries. Italian Journal of Public Health, 7(2), 24–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, T. M., Caulfield, T., & Ries, N. (Eds.). (2005). Public health law & policy in Canada. Markham, ON: Lexis-Nexis Butterworths.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonnie, R. J. (1986). The efficacy of law as a paternalistic instrument. In R. A. Dienstbier & G. B. Melton (Eds.), The law as a behavioral instrument (pp. 131–211). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brownson, R. C., Chriqui, J. F., & Stamatakis, K. A. (2009). Understanding evidence-based public health policy. American Journal of Public Health, 99(9), 1576–1583.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012a). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS). Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Retrieved March 1, 2012, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012b). Helmet use among motorcyclists who died in crashes and economic cost savings associated with state motorcycle helmet laws – United States, 2008–2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 61(23), 425–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christoffel, T., & Gallagher, S. S. (1999). Injury prevention and public health. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christoffel, T., & Teret, S. (1993). Protecting the public: Legal issues in injury prevention. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2001). Standards for the flammability of children’s sleepwear, 16 C. F. R. Parts 1615 & 1616, from the CPSC web site at: Retrieved February 22, 2013, from http://www.cpsc.gov

  • Degutis, L. C. (2011). Approaching injury and violence prevention through public health policy: A window of opportunity to renew our focus. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 12(3), 271–272.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg, J., & Gross, H. (1986). Punishment: Part 5. Philosophy of law (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frieden, T. (2010). Framework for public health action: The health impact pyramid. American Journal of Public Health, 100(4), 590–595.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gilchrist, J., Scheiber, R. A., Leadbetter, S., & Davidson, S. C. (2000). Police enforcement as a part of a comprehensive bicycle helmet program. Pediatrics, 106(1 Pt 1), 6–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, R. A., Hoffman, R. E., Lopez, W., Matthews, G. W., Rothstein, M. A., & Foster, K. L. (Eds.). (2007). Law in public health practice (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hahn, R. A., Middleton, J. C., Elder, R., Brewer, R., Fielding, J., Naimi, T. S., et al. (2012). Effects of alcohol retail privatization on excessive alcohol consumption and related harms: A community guide systematic review. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 42(4), 418–427.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hedlund, J. (2000). Risky business: Safety regulations, risk compensation, and individual behavior. Injury Prevention, 6, 82–90.

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Medicine. (1985). Injury in America. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Institute of Medicine (IOM). (2011). For the public’s health: Revitalizing law and policy to meet new challenges. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson v. Massachusetts. (1905). U.S. Supreme Court.197 U.S. 11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katcher, M. (1992). Efforts to prevent burns from hot tap water. In A. B. Bergman (Ed.), Political approaches to injury control at the state level (pp. 69–78). Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeton, W. P. (Ed.). (1984). Prosser and Keeton on the law of torts (5th ed.). St Paul, MN: West.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koné, R. C., Zurick, E., Patterson, S., & Peeples, A. (2012). Injury and violent prevention policy: Celebrating our successes, protection our future. Journal of Safety Research, 43(4), 265–270.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Larsen v. General Motors Corp. (1968). U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.391 F.2d 495.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mensah, G. A., Goodman, R. A., Zaza, S., Moulton, A. D., Kocher, P. L., Dietz, W. H, et al. (2004). Law as a tool for preventing chronic diseases: expanding the spectrum of effective public health strategies. Preventing Chronic Disease [serial online]. Retrieved January 20, 2004, from http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2004/jan/03_0033.htm

  • National Safety Council. (2005). What are the odds of dying? Retrieved May 15, 2005, from http://www.nsc.org/lrs/statinfo/odds.htm

  • Porter, B. E., Bliss, J. P., & Sleet, D. A. (2010). Human factors in injury control. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 4(1), 90–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schieber, R. A., Gilchrist, J., & Sleet, D. A. (2000). Legislative and regulatory strategies to reduce childhood unintentional injuries. Future of Children, 10, 111–136.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sederburg, W. (1992). Perspectives of the legislator: Allocating resources. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 41(Suppl), 37–48.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, F. E., & Ogolla, C. P. (2006). Law, injury, and injury prevention. In A. C. Gielen, D. A. Sleet, & R. J. DiClemente (Eds.), Injury and violence prevention: Behavioral science theories, methods, and applications (pp. 442–466). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd, J. P. (2001). Criminal deterrence as a public health strategy. Lancet, 358, 1717–1722.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shults, R. A., Elder, R. W., Sleet, D. A., Nichols, J. L., Alao, M. O., Carande-Kulis, V. G., et al. (2001). Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 21(4S), 66–88.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shults, R. A., Nichols, J. L., Dinh-Zarr, T. B., Sleet, D. A., & Elder, R. W. (2004). Effectiveness of primary enforcement safety belt laws and enhanced enforcement of safety belt laws: A summary of the Community Preventive Services systematic reviews. Journal of Safety Research, 10(2), 68–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sleet, D., & Gielen, A. (1998). Injury prevention. In J. Arnold & S. Gorin (Eds.), Health promotion handbook (pp. 247–275). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sleet, D., Liller, K., White, D., & Hopkins, K. (2004). Injuries, injury prevention and public health. American Journal of Health Behavior, 28(Suppl. 1), S6–S12.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sleet, D. A., Mercer, S., Cole, K. H., Shults, R., & Elder, R. (2011). Scientific evidence and policy change: Lowering the legal limit to .08 % in the USA. Global Health Promotion, 18(1), 23–26.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, L. E., Greene, M. A., & Singh, H. A. (2002). Study of the effectiveness of the US safety standard for child resistant cigarette lighters. Injury Prevention, 8, 192–196.

    PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • State v. Hartog. (1989). Supreme Court of Iowa.440 N.W.2d 852.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. Science, 185, 1124–1131.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (NHTSA). (2010). Traffic tech: Primary laws and fine levels are associated with increases in seat belt use. Washington, DC: NHTSA. Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/traffic_tech/TT400.pdf

  • U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (NHTSA). (2011, April 1). Traffic fatalities in 2010 drop to lowest level in recorded history (Press release, NHTSA 05–11) Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisbuch, J. B. (1987). The prevention of injury from motorcycle use: Epidemiologic success, legislative failure. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 19, 21–28.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zaza, S., Harris, K., Young-Curtis, P., Finley, E., Shults, R., Sleet, D., et al. (2001). Motor-vehicle occupant injury: Strategies for increasing use of child safety seats, increasing use of safety belts, and reducing alcohol-impaired driving. A report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 50(No. RR-7), 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Behavioral Surveillance, Public Health Surveillance Program Office, CDC, Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Century Center, Building 2500, Room 3314 1600 Clifton Rd, NE MS E-97, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA

    Frederic E. Shaw

  2. 16 Charleston Park Drive # 1406, Houston, TX, 77025, USA

    Christopher P. Ogolla

  3. Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention & Control, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway, NE F-62, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA

    David A. Sleet

  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-69, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA

    Leslie Dorigo

Authors
  1. Frederic E. Shaw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christopher P. Ogolla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David A. Sleet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Leslie Dorigo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frederic E. Shaw .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, New London, CT, USA

    Thomas P. Gullotta

  2. University of Connecticut, West Hartford, USA

    Martin Bloom

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this entry

Cite this entry

Shaw, F.E., Ogolla, C.P., Sleet, D.A., Dorigo, L. (2014). Law and Injury Prevention. In: Gullotta, T.P., Bloom, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5999-6_72

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5999-6_72

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-5998-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-5999-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation