William Bryan: “Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death to persons under 35, and the fifth leading cause of death in the…”

“Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death to persons under 35, and the fifth leading cause of death in the Nation overall. Unintentional injuries kill more children over age one than any disease. It is astounding that there are an average 21,400 deaths and 29.4 million injuries each year related to consumer products under the jurisdiction of a small, but effective, Federal agency--the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission [CPSC]. The CPSC finds that deaths, injuries, and property damage associated with consumer products cost the Nation $200 billion annually. In 1996, the CPSC negotiated 375 recalls involving over 85 million products that presented a significant risk of injury to the public. However, despite recall notices and public warnings, many old hazardous products such as bean bag chairs, wooden bunk beds, mini-hammocks and cribs--with the potential to seriously injure or kill a child--remain in homes, flea markets, garage sales or in second hand stores.”