Injury accounts for 78% of adolescent deaths. Compared with younger children (ages 1–14), adolescents ages 15–19 have much higher death rates overall and from injuries. Adolescents are much more likely than younger children to die from injuries sustained from motor vehicle traffic crashes and firearms.^{1, 2} The leading causes of nonfatal injury resulting in an emergency department (ED) visit also differ between adolescents and younger children. For example, the leading cause of adolescent nonfatal injury ED visits is being struck by or against an object or person, whereas for younger children, the leading cause is falls (see PHY7.A). Compared with younger children, adolescents were more likely to visit the ED for nonfatal injuries resulting from violence, sports-related activities, or motor vehicle traffic crashes. Among adolescents in 2023, there were 9,943 fatal injuries and 1.9 million ED visits for nonfatal injuries.¹

Indicator PHY8.A Emergency department visit rates for adolescents ages 15–19 by leading causes of injury, 2021–2022

• In 2021–2022, the leading causes of injury-related ED visits for adolescents ages 15–19 were being struck by or against an object or person (20 visits per 1,000), falls (20 visits per 1,000), motor vehicle traffic crashes (17 visits per 1,000), overexertion (12 visits per 1,000), and being cut or pierced from an instrument or object (10 visits per 1,000).
• These five leading causes accounted for 62% of initial injury-related ED visits for adolescents in 2021–2022.

Indicator PHY8.B Death rates among adolescents ages 15–19 by all causes and all injury causes and selected mechanisms of injury, 2013–2023

Indicator PHY8.C Injury mortality rates among adolescents ages 15–19 by manner of intent and sex, 2023

• In 2023, the death rate for adolescents ages 15–19 was 58 deaths per 100,000—13 points higher than the death rate in 2013 (45 deaths per 100,000).
• From 2013 to 2023, injuries were the leading cause of death for adolescents. In 2023, injuries accounted for more than three quarters of adolescent deaths.
• Before 2016, motor vehicle traffic injuries were the leading mechanism of injury-caused deaths among adolescents. In 2016, there was no significant difference in the rate of deaths occurring because of motor vehicle traffic injuries and firearm injuries. However, beginning in 2017, firearm injury deaths became more common than motor vehicle traffic injury deaths. In 2023, firearm injury deaths occurred at a rate of 17 deaths per 100,000, while motor vehicle traffic deaths occurred at a rate of 13 deaths per 100,000.
• For firearm injuries, the death rate increased from 10 deaths per 100,000 in 2013 to 18 deaths per 100,000 in 2021 and then remained stable through 2023 (17 deaths per 100,000).
• For motor vehicle traffic injuries, the death rate fluctuated from 2013 to 2023 but did not significantly change.
• In 2023, the unintentional injury (accident) death rate was higher among male adolescents (31 deaths per 100,000) than among female adolescents (13 deaths per 100,000). This pattern was also observed for homicide (20 deaths per 100,000 for males and 3 deaths per 100,000 for females) and suicide (15 deaths per 100,000 for males and 5 deaths per 100,000 for females).
• Among males, death rates for homicide (20 per 100,000) were higher than for suicide (15 per 100,000). Among females, death rates for suicide (5 per 100,000) were higher than for homicide (3 per 100,000).

 PHY8.A HTML Table | PHY8.B HTML Table