Hurry shows in accident statistics – it is worth slowing down before Christmas

The end of the year is a busy time for many. This hurry increases both stress and susceptibility to accidents. According to a survey* by the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), home and leisure time accidents are often caused by haste, tiredness or carelessness.

Haste is an underlying cause especially in home accidents, well over half (62 per cent) of which were partly or entirely caused by haste. A little over a quarter of sports injuries and about 40 per cent of other leisure time accidents were also caused by haste.

Haste contributed to 43 per cent of accidents at work and 36 per cent of traffic accidents in total.

‘The influence of hurry on the occurrence of accidents cannot be downplayed. Hurry weakens the ability to concentrate and increases risk-taking whether at home, at work or in traffic. Often, the hurry experienced at work does not stay at the workplace. Instead, the busy mind travels from the workplace to traffic and the home environment – or vice versa,’ says Persephone Doupi, senior researcher at THL.

Hurry in the background especially in many men’s accidents

Hurry often prowls men in particular. According to THL’s survey, hurry was involved in nearly half of the work-related accidents among men aged 20–54. Of the work-related accidents of women of the same age, a little over one third were caused by hurry.

Hurry affected men more than women in traffic, as well. With men, hurry was a factor in a total of 43 per cent of traffic accidents, while the corresponding number with women was 31 per cent.

Managing hurry prevents accidents

Accidents caused by hurry can be prevented, for example, with adequate sleep and anticipation. When you make enough time in your everyday life for doing things and moving from one place to another, there will be no hurry.

‘The rush and busy pace of work are familiar to many people. On December’s Accident Day, we want to awaken people, especially men, to see the effects of hurry on the occurrence of accidents and to improve their ways of managing the hurry of everyday life,’ says Saara Aakko, health promotion planning officer at the Finnish Red Cross.

Participate in the campaign on social media

Accident Day is looking for the perfect intangible Christmas gift for a man that would reduce his hurry in everyday life, at work or in leisure time. Gift wishes and tips can be submitted from 5 December onwards on the Accident Day Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tapaturmapaiva/.

 Accident Day is intended to make people aware of how to reduce the risk of accidents at home and work and in traffic. The date varies every year, because Accident Days take place on every Friday the 13th. Accident prevention work is carried out in cooperation between organisations and authorities.

Further information

Saara Aakko, Planning Officer, The Finnish Red Cross, tel. +358 (0)40 480 6973, saara.aakko@punainenristi.fi

Persephone Doupi, Senior Researcher, THL, tel. +358 (0)29 524 7383, persephone.doupi@thl.fi

Links

tapaturmapäivä.fi

kotitapaturma.fi

*Suomalaiset tapaturmien uhreina 2017. Kansallisen uhritutkimuksen tuloksia. Kari Haikonen, Persephone Doupi, Emma Honkala, Martta October, Suvi Nipuli, Anne Lounamaa. National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

Nearly 7,000 people over the age of 20 participated in the sample survey Suomalaiset tapaturmien uhreina 2017. The survey includes information on different accident types from home and leisure time accidents to workplace accidents.