Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in 15-24 years old and is considered the main
reason for premature morbidity and mortality. In the United State, 14,089 deaths were recorded
at this age group due to unintentional injuries in 2008
.
An injury is defined as “The physical damage that results when a human body is suddenly
subjected to energy in amounts that exceed the threshold of physical tolerance”
.
Injuries are considered either intentional such as assaults, homicide, suicide or unintentional such
as road traffic accidents, drowning, poisonings, fires, sports and recreation, falls and workrelated
injuries.
In addition to the socio-cultural factors, biology plays an important role in engaging of
adolescent's in risk-taking behaviors. The brain maturation occurs in late adolescence, which
protects individual from risk of impulsive behavior that lead to injuries