There are many ways to reduce the chances of brain injury. CDC and the Brain Injury Association of America offer these tips:

Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.

Always buckle your child into a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt (according to the child's height, weight, and age) in the car.

Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Wear a helmet and make sure your children wear helmets when 

• Riding a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, scooter, or all-terrain vehicle;
• Playing a contact sport, such as football, ice hockey, or boxing;
• Using in-line skates or riding a skateboard;
• Batting and running bases in baseball or softball;
• Riding a horse; or
• Skiing or snowboarding.

Avoid falls in the home by

• Using a step stool with a grab bar to reach objects on high shelves;
• Installing handrails on stairways;
• Installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows;
• Using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around;
• Removing tripping hazards such as small area rugs and loose electrical cords;
• Using non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors;
• Putting grab bars next to the toilet and in the tub or shower;
• Maintaining a regular exercise program to improve strength, balance, and coordination; and
• Seeing an eye doctor regularly for a vision check to help lower the risk of falling.

Make sure the surface on your child's playground is made of shock-absorbing material, such as hardwood, mulch, and sand.

Keep firearms stored unloaded in a locked cabinet or safe. Store bullets in a separate secured location.

There are many opportunities to raise awareness in your community about the causes and consequences of TBI. Below are some times of the year that may be appropriate for drawing attention to a particular issue:

• October is Brain Injury Awareness Month.
• December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
• The week of Valentine’s Day is National Child Passenger Safety Week.
• The fourth week of April is National Playground Safety Week.

Schools are a great place to incorporate prevention efforts. The National SAFE KIDS Campaign Web site and the National Program for Playground Safety Web site have teacher plans and student handouts about motor vehicle, sports and recreation, and playground safety. 

• National SAFE KIDS Campaign Website
• National Program for Playground Safety Website

Additional Resources

Government Organizations 

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
  NHTSA is responsible for reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA provides consumer information about motor vehicle safety topics.
  www.nhtsa.dot.gov
  Child Passenger Safety: www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/
  Phone: 888-DASH-2-DOT (888-327-4236)
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
  NINDS’s mission is to reduce the burden of neurological disease — a burden borne by every age group, by every segment of society, by people all over the world.
  www.ninds.nih.gov
  NIH Neurological Institute
  P.O. Box 5801
  Bethesda, MD 20824
  Phone: 800-352-9424

• Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA)
  BIAA identifies and responds to the needs of individuals with brain injury and their families. It creates new and innovative programs to serve its constituencies. BIAA has state-chartered affiliates, to help injured persons. BIAA also has a number of fact sheets about TBI.
  www.biausa.org
  BIAA Fact Sheets: www.biausa.org/Pages/facts_and_stats.html
  Greensboro Drive, Suite 611
  McLean, VA 22102
  Phone: 703-761-0750
  Family Helpline: 800-444-6443
• National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS)
  Established under a grant from the CDC, NPSS works to reduce the annual playground-related injuries suffered by America’s youth. NPPS also serves as a recognized national clearinghouse for playground safety information.
  www.uni.edu/playground/
  School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services
  WRC 205 University of Northern Iowa
  Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0618
  Phone: 800-554-PLAY (7529)
• National SAFE KIDS Campaign
  The National SAFE KIDS Campaign is the first and only national organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury, the number one killer of children ages 14 and under.
  www.safekids.org
  1301 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Suite 1000
  Washington, DC 20004
  Phone: 202-662-0600
• ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation
  Thinkfirst Foundation works to prevent brain, spinal cord, and other traumatic injuries by educating of individuals, community leaders, and policy makers.
  www.thinkfirst.org
  5550 Meadowbrook Drive, Suite 110
  Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
  Phone: 800-Think56 (844-6556)