Injury Prevention

Emergent Care

Matter of Balance

Each year, over 2.5 million older people are treated in Emergency Departments for fall injuries1, and at least 250,000 are hospitalized for hip fractures2. UMC Trauma Services and UMC Activities Center have partnered to bring the Matter of Balance Fall Prevention Class to the community. Participants learn strategies for making their home environments safe and for preventing falls.

Car Seat Safety Events/Classes

Road injuries are the leading cause of preventable deaths in children in the United States3. UMC has a number of Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPST) who provide car seat events and classes in partnership with DSHS Safe Riders Program. Check back to this website for upcoming classes at UMC.

Get a Car Seat- For self-certified low-income families, UMC Health System provides one car seat for each child in the household. You must be the child’s legal guardian to obtain the seat.
Correctly Install your Car Seat- 73 percent of car seats are not used correctly. A CPST will ensure your seat is installed correctly. Correctly used car seats can reduce the risk of deaths by as much as 71 percent.
Check Car Seat Label- Ensure the car seat is appropriate for your child’s age, weight, and height.
Buckle Up- Everyone in your vehicle must wear a seatbelt. Buckling up the correct way is the single most important thing a family can do!

For more on car seat safety, visit: www.safekids.org/car-seat

UMC Car Seat Class Information

Classes are held monthly and child’s legal guardian must attend.
Parents can call 806.761.0660 to register for the class.
When you register please provide the child’s age and weight.
Pregnant mothers will need to be in the 3rd trimester to obtain a seat.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all group classes are temporarily cancelled. However, feel free to schedule a virtual class by calling 806.761.0660.

Safe Kids Lubbock – Leading the Region

UMC is dedicated to leading the region in injury prevention for children. We are the only Safe Kids Lead Agency for the surrounding area. Safe Kids Lubbock continues to seek new opportunities to prevent childhood injuries and works closely with local businesses, schools, and partners to distribute critical information to prevent traumatic injuries and keep our children safe.

AARP Smart Driver Course

The AARP Smart Driver course is specifically designed for drivers age 50 and older. In many states, drivers may benefit from a discount on their auto insurance premium upon completing the course. More than 90% of car crashes are preventable. Motor vehicle accidents are the #1 leading cause of deaths in adult and children. UMC Trauma and Burn Services has partnered with the AARP organization to provide a four-hour driving course. Class is $20.00 for AARP members and $25.00 for non-members. Check back to this website or contact AARP to see next available class.

To Register for any of these courses contact:

UMC Trauma and Burn Service Department 806.761.0660

References:

¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web–based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [online]. Accessed August 15, 2013.

² Pakkari J. Kannus P, Palvanen M, Natri A, Vainio J, Aho H, Vuori I, Jarvinen M. Majority of hip fractures occur as a result of a fall and impact on the greater trochanter of the femur: a prospective controlled hip fracture study with 206 consecutive patients. Calcif Tissue Int, 1999;65:183–7

³https://www.safekids.org/car-seat