Child Injuries from TV Tip-Overs Increasing in the US

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., July 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SANUS®, the leading brand of TV wall mounts in the United States, is pleased to see additional research and focus on TV safety.  A new study released by the American Academy of Pediatrics was published this week that calls attention to the dangers of TV tip-overs.  SANUS® supports the study's senior author, Dr. Gary Smith, in his lead to take action via TV mounting, against this increasing problem.  According to the study, more than 17,000 children -- one every 30 minutes -- are treated in emergency rooms across the country for TV related injuries every year.  The rate of children hurt from TVs tipping over has nearly doubled in two decades.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130725/NY53033 )

According to the study, the number of kids injured by a TV falling on them grew 125 percent between 1990 and 2011.  This information was gathered from emergency room records, bringing awareness to the need for greater prevention efforts.  With the release of the study, Dr. Gary Smith, a pediatrician at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio was quoted saying, "This is a serious problem, a child is dying once every three weeks from a TV tip-over.  The numbers are going up.  This is a call to action.  These are 100 percent preventable injuries." 

Due to increasing size and new ultra thin designs, today's flat panel TVs can tip when bumped or pulled, causing them to topple off furniture, potentially causing injury or even death.  In support of Dr. Gary Smith's findings and solutions, SANUS® encourages parents to take proper precautions to decrease these preventable accidents by mounting TVs in the home.  This year, SANUS® and Safe Kids Worldwide partnered to educate consumers about the risk of unsecured flat panel TVs tipping and provide safety solutions. 

Safe Kids Worldwide is engaging local coalitions for a grass roots educational movement while SANUS® recently launched an educational site, www.tvsafety.org, as well as a national safety awareness consumer ad campaign.  TV tip-over deaths are needless and steps can be taken to decrease these preventable accidents from occurring.  Use of a flat panel TV wall mount is a safe and secure way to avoid injury.  At SANUS®, safety is the #1 priority and the company takes extensive measures and works with independent safety certification agencies to ensure that SANUS® TV mounts meet US safety standards.

"The growing rate of injuries associated with TV tip-overs is sobering," said Steve Decker, President - Consumer Products, SANUS®.  "We believe wall mounting provides a safer alternative to an unsecured TV.  It is our goal, through this partnership and safety initiative, to reduce TV tip-over related injuries and help create a safer environment in the home."

About SANUS
SANUS® designs and builds a broad range of audio/video furnishings, mounts and accessories. Every SANUS® product is engineered for safety and enhances both the A/V system and the surrounding decor. Today SANUS® offers over 300 products, including TV wall mounts, home theater furniture units, TV stands, A/V equipment racks and speaker supports.

About Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations dedicated to providing parents and caregivers with practical and proven resources to protect kids from unintentional injuries, the number one cause of death to children in the United States. Throughout the world, almost one million children die of an injury each year, and every one of these tragedies is preventable. Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 600 coalitions in the U.S. and in 23 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drowning, falls, burns, poisonings and more. Since 1988, Safe Kids has helped reduce the U.S. childhood death rate from unintentional injury by 53 percent. Working together, we can do much more for kids everywhere. Join our effort at safekids.org.

SOURCE SANUS