Accidents

Introduction

Accidents are the greatest single threat to life for children and young people. Falls, road traffic accidents (RTAs), fire and suffocation and drowning cause the largest number of fatalities in older people.

Facts and Figure

During the period 2015 to 2017, 185 people died from accidental injury in Blackpool, an average of 62 a year. The directly standardised mortality rate (in this case per 100,000 population) is calculated to allow comparison between geographies of different population sizes and with different gender and age make ups. Figure 1 shows Blackpool's directly standardised rate (DSR) of mortality from accidents is significantly higher than the average of English local authorities.

Figure 1 -Mortality from Accidents 2015-17 - Lower Tier Local Authority

 Source: HSCIC Indicators

Figure 2 shows the trend in mortality from accidents, comparing Blackpool to the North west and England and Wales. Nationally and in the North west the mortality rate from accidents has remained at a stable level. Blackpool's mortality rate, especially in males has remained above the national rate.

Figure 2 - Trend in Accident Mortality 1995-2017