March is Brain Injury Awareness Month.

Each year, traumatic brain injuries contribute to a substantial number of deaths and cases of permanent disability.  The most common causes of traumatic brain injuries are vehicle crashes, falls, sports injuries and violence.

According to the Brain Injury Association, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually.  Concussions are a form of a traumatic brain injury, which accounts for 75% of all traumatic brain injuries. 

Each year 50,000 persons die from brain injuries and 80,000 to 90,000 people experience long term disability.  (Read more about living with a brain injury here.)  The true extent of brain injury is not conveyed by numbers.  Lives, hopes, dreams, families, and friendships are often altered in the wake of a brain injury. 

Most brain injuries can be prevented.  For effective educational materials to help prevent brain injuries to children, browse the I'm Safe web site.  Find education materials related to playground safety, sports safety, ATV safety, snowmobile safety and more.