Safe Youth. Safe Schools.
This fall, approximately 55 million students return to classrooms across the United States. While our nation's schools are expected to be safe havens for learning, unintentional injuries and even violence can occur. These events may disrupt the educational process and negatively affect the school and surrounding community.
Fresh haircuts, new clothes, and backpacks stuffed with markers, pencils, and binders; everything a child needs to start a new school year. As millions of students return to school this fall, teachers will plan their school supply list, and parents will carefully make sure their child is prepared with each and every item. Yet, one detail is sometimes forgotten. Safety should be on every student's back-to-school list.
Whether it is by car, bus, bike, or walking, the minute a child leaves their home, safety becomes a concern. Children need to use seatbelts, look both ways before crossing a street, wear helmets when appropriate, take steps to form respectful relationships, and know how to avoid and reduce conflicts. Safety is also important at school, both in the classroom and during activities such as sports. When parents and educators work together, safety becomes a lifesaving priority that benefits the entire community.
Get to School Safely
- Walk to School Safely
Children face an increased risk for pedestrian injuries. You can help by learning more about these risks and steps you can take to promote pedestrian safety in your community. - Child Passenger Safety
Motor vehicle injuries are the greatest public health problem facing children today. In fact, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children in the United States. Learn how to keep children safe by using an age- and size-appropriate restraint system. - Young Driver Safety
Two out of five deaths among US teens are the result of a motor vehicle crash. During a teen's first year of driving, crash risk is particularly high. Learn tips and facts to help a new driver arrive at school safely. - Teens Driver Safety: Graduated Driver Licensing
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) systems address the high risks new drivers face and are proven methods for helping teens to become safer drivers. Research shows that strict and comprehensive GDL systems reduce both fatal and non-fatal injury crashes.
School Safety
- Choose Respect
A national campaign sponsored by CDC, Choose Respect provides information and support for communities seeking to foster a "Culture of Respect." Focusing on adolescents between the ages of 11 and 14, Choose Respect provides educational information for the development of healthy relationships, skills for managing conflict, anger, and jealousy without violence. - Youth Violence
Homicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 15 and 24 in the United States. Behaviors such as bullying and hitting often start at a young age and may continue into young adulthood. Youth violence can often lead to serious injury or death. - School Violence
While US schools remain relatively safe, any amount of violence is unacceptable. Parents, teachers, and administrators expect schools to be safe havens of learning. Acts of violence can disrupt the learning process and have a negative effect on students, the school itself, and the broader community. - Sexual Violence
Sexual violence begins early in life. Research shows that 54% of rapes reported by women, and 75% of rapes reported by men, occur before the age of eighteen. Most victims do not tell friends and family about the abuse and suffer alone. Those who do disclose the violence may be stigmatized by friends, family, and their community. - Youth Suicide
Suicide (taking one's own life) is a serious public health problem that affects even young people. For youth and young adults between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death. It results in approximately 4,500 lives lost each year. - School Health Guidelines to Prevent Unintentional Injuries and Violence
School Health Guidelines are designed to prevent unintentional injuries and violence. Guidelines promote safety and teach students the skills needed to prevent injuries and violence. They are designed for all grade levels and provide support for a coordinated school health program. - School Health Index (SHI)
SHI is a self-assessment and planning tool that enables schools to identify strengths and weaknesses of health and safety policies and programs; develop an action plan for improving student health and safety; and involve teachers, parents, students, and the community in improving school services.
Safety During Sports and Physical Activity
- Playground Injuries
Each year in the United States, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries. Learn about risks, and how to avoid severe injuries associated with playgrounds. - Keeping Children and Teens Safe from Concussion
Each year, as many as 3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions are estimated to occur in the United States. The Heads Up: Concussion in High School Sports tool kit includes information for coaches, parents, and athletes on preventing, recognizing, and responding to a suspected concussion.
Additional Resources
- Department of Education
The Department of Education seeks to ensure equal access to education and promote educational excellence nationwide. The agency provides parents, teachers, and school administrators, a variety of resources on school safety and youth violence prevention. - i-SAFE*
i-SAFE is a non-profit foundation dedicated to protecting the online experiences of youth everywhere. i-SAFE combines classroom curriculum with community outreach to empower students, teachers, parents, law enforcement, and concerned adults to make the internet a safer place. - KidsWalk-to-School
CDC's Nutrition and Physical Activity Program has developed KidsWalk-to-School to promote better health though physical activity. This community-based program aims to increase daily opportunities for physical activity by encouraging children to walk to and from school in groups accompanied by adults. - National Organizations for Youth Safety*
The National Organization for Youth Safety (NOYS) is a coalition composed of national organizations and federal agencies that serve youth. Primary focus is on youth safety and health. NOYS Web site includes information about membership, research, and resources concerning youth safety. - National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center*
The Resource Center is an online source for information and materials gathered from institutions, community-based organizations, and federal agencies working to prevent violence among our nation's youth. The Center's Web site, toll-free hotline, and fax-on-demand service offer access to information about prevention programs, publications, research and statistics, and fact sheets. - Out on a Limb: A Guide to Getting Along*
This Web site, developed by the University of Illinois Extension, is designed to help teach youth how to better manage conflicts and challenges they face on a daily basis. - Risk Watch (NFPA)*
Risk Watch is a school-based curriculum that links teachers with community safety experts and parents. Site provides children and families skills and knowledge needed to create safe homes and communities. Unintentional injuries such as, motor vehicle safety, fire and burn prevention, choking, firearms injury, bike safety, pedestrian safety, and water safety are a few topics covered on the Web site. - Safe Kids Worldwide*
An international, nonprofit organization solely dedicated to preventing unintentional childhood injury. Safe Kids Worldwide promotes changes in attitudes, behaviors, laws and the environment to prevent accidental injury to children. - School Safety and Mentoring Guides*
The Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence at the George Washington University has developed a series of guides which provide resources, tools, and guidance for creating safe school settings and involving the community in supporting students of all ages. - Students Against Destructive Decisions*
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) is a peer leadership organization dedicated to preventing destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, drug use, impaired driving, teen violence, teen depression, and suicide. The Web site offers ideas for educational campaigns, research, and statistics about issues important to teens. - Students Against Violence Everywhere*
An organization that gives students tools to learn crime prevention, conflict management skills, and the virtues of good citizenship, civility, and nonviolence. - Take a Stand. Lend a Hand. Stop Bullying Now Campaign
Stop Bullying Now provides information and resources on how to identify and prevent bullying in schools. The site is produced by the Health Resources and Services Administration, part of the US Department of Health and Human Services. - Youth Crime Watch America*
A movement that aims to help youth protect themselves and others from the criminal world. Programs such as mentors, educating, and youth patrols are involved.
Research/Data Sources
- Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) School Project
Research has shown that proper environmental design can reduce crime and fear associated with criminal activity. An effectively designed environment can improve the overall quality of life. CDC is studying how changes in the physical environment of schools can encourage pro-social behavior while reducing fear and violence. - Effectiveness of Universal School-Based Programs for Preventing Violence
Research has shown that proper environmental design can reduce crime and fear associated with criminal activity. An effectively designed environment can improve the overall quality of life. CDC is studying how changes in the physical environment of schools can encourage pro-social behavior while reducing fear and violence. - Indicators of School Crime and Safety
CDC contributes to the Department of Education's annual report on school crime and student safety. This report provides the most recent data available from many independent sources. - School-Associated Violent Deaths Study
In partnership with Departments of Education and Justice, CDC has conducted a national study of school-associated violent deaths since 1992. This ongoing study plays an important role in monitoring trends in lethal school violence, identifying risk factors, and assessing the effects of prevention efforts. - School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS)
SHPPS is a national survey conducted periodically to assess school health policies and programs at state, district, school, and classroom levels. SHPPS provides information on health education, programs, environmental strategies, and policies that schools, districts, and states use to address violence and suicide prevention. - Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
CDC's YRBSS monitors health risk behaviors, including violence, that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among young people in the United States. The YRBSS includes national, state, and local school-based surveys of representative samples of 9th through 12th grade students.
