Shopping Cart Injuries:
Victims 5 years old and younger

• An annual average of 21,600 children 5 years old and younger were treated in US hospital emergency rooms for shopping cart injuries during the years 1985-1996
  
  
• There has been a significant increase in the estimated number of these injuries between 1985 and 1996.
  
  
• In 1996 there were 22,200 injuries versus 16,900 in 1985.

• An annual average of 12,800 of these children were treated for falls from the carts.
  
  
• There has been a significant increase in the number of fall injuries between 1985 and 1996.
  
  
• There has been a decline in other hazard patterns over these years.
  
  
• In 1996 there were over 16,000 injuries from falls versus 7,800 in 1985.
  
  
• A detailed analysis of the incidents during 1995 and 1996 showed that 66 percent of the fall victims were treated for head injuries (11,000 per year).
  
  
• This analysis of data from 1995 and 1996 also showed that 54 percent of the head injury victims suffered severe injuries such as concussions and fractures (5940 per year).
  
  
• A special investigation study in 1994 showed that 51 percent of the fall victims fell from the seat and 49 percent fell from the basket.