ACC eye on prevention

By KATHERINE HOBY

Prevention is better than cure - a maxim embraced by ACC to such an extent that it doubled its injury-prevention budget to $25 million in the year ended last June.

Last summer, 25 people drowned in January alone.

ACC and Water Safety New Zealand combine to promote the BoatSafe, RiverSafe, and PoolSafe programmes, and fund television and radio advertising on water safety.

A majority of ACC's boating claims result from someone on a boat losing balance, crashing into something hard and suffering a soft-tissue injury, dislocation or fracture, or dental injury.

People aged 25 to 55 account for 43 per cent of all moderate to serious fall injury claims and new claims for falls cost ACC $65.1 million.

Many in that age group take big risks as they tend not to see themselves as being at high risk.

Graphic, high-profile "Slips, Trips and Falls" ads were aimed specifically at the group last year, with simple messages on avoiding falls in the home. That campaign will continue this year.

Herald feature: Health