Accidents

Accidents refer to unforeseen and unexpected events, usually with damaging consequences affecting people’s lives and limbs or their property. The term accidents encompasses a range of occurrences, which include, but are not limited to, accidents at home, during leisure time, in transport, and at the workplace. Hence, accidents can be part of the human experience at every stage during the lifespan. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2014, accidents caused more than 136,000 deaths in the United States. The interesting questions for lifespan human development have to do with the safety and health of individuals, particularly safety in the workplace. This entry first provides an overview of accidents with a description of the possible classifications of the term and then focuses on ...