Vermont has had the 21st-highest number of preventable, injury-related deaths of any state, according to a new report by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH).
The rate of preventable injury death in Vermont is 66 per 100,000 people. At 97.9 deaths per 100,000 people, West Virginia has the highest rate in the country, while New York has the lowest at 40.3. The national average is 58.4 deaths per 100,000 people.
As with most states, drug overdoses surpassed car accidents as Vermont’s leading cause of death by preventable injury. At 13 out of every 100,000 people, Vermont’s rate of death by drug overdose is the 31st-highest in the country.
“Injuries are not just acts of fate. Research shows they are pretty predictable and preventable,” said Jeffrey Levi, executive director of TFAH in the report. “This report illustrates how evidence-based strategies can actually help prevent and reduce motor vehicle crashes, head injuries, fires, falls, homicide, suicide, assaults, sexual violence, child abuse, drug misuse, overdoses and more. It’s not rocket science, but it does require common sense and investment in good public health practice.”
TFAH graded states on their ability to meet 10 qualifications that it views as indicative of a state’s ability to prevent injury. Vermont met five of the qualifications.
Vermont was awarded points for mandating booster seats for children younger than 8 years old, implementing a prescription drug monitoring program, maintaining low rates of homicide and child abuse and providing legal access to the overdose prevention drug naloxone.
To achieve a perfect score, Vermont would need to enact primary seat belt laws, enforce a policy of mandatory ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, require bicycle helmets for children, restrict teens from driving after 10 p.m. and lower its rate of unintentional falling deaths to below the national goal of 7.2 per 100,000 people.
