TULSA, Okla. – More than 155 million people visited emergency rooms across the United States in 2025, including about 40 million visits related to injuries, according to medical experts.
As the new year begins, doctors say many of those injuries are preventable with greater awareness and safer everyday habits.
Unsafe habits inside vehicles
Emergency physicians caution against unsafe behaviors inside vehicles, including leaning out of windows, resting feet on dashboards or riding with arms outside the car.
Doctors say these positions significantly increase the risk of injury during a crash, particularly if an airbag deploys and forces the body into unnatural or extreme positions.
Hair accessories and crash risks
Medical experts also addressed concerns about certain hair accessories worn while riding in vehicles. Claw clips and banana clips can cause scalp injuries during an accident, though they are unlikely to fracture the skull. Doctors say cuts and lacerations are more common outcomes.
Distracted walking injuries
Another growing source of injuries involves pedestrians distracted by their cell phones. Emergency rooms are seeing more cases of people tripping into open areas, colliding with objects or stepping into traffic while focused on their screens.
Recreational injuries
As warmer weather approaches, physicians warn trampoline-related injuries are becoming more frequent. Hospitals often treat fractures to the toes, feet and ankles, as well as occasional head and neck injuries when people attempt flips or fall awkwardly…