A section of London's Victoria Hospital will go green Wednesday to shine a light on injuries across the country that could have been prevented.
The London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) will light the interior atrium of B Tower green to mark National Injury Prevention Day from 7am Wednesday to 7am Thursday. The day is meant to raise awareness of preventable injuries Canadians have suffered.
Last summer, 336 people were treated at the LHSC for traumatic injuries that were considered both preventable and predictable. Of those, 22% were from falls from heights and 7% involved ATVs. The bulk of the injuries, roughly 50%, were the result of car crashes.
“Distracted driving is the leading cause of driving fatalities across Canada and it is entirely preventable,” said Brandon Batey, injury prevention specialist at the LHSC. “Distracted driving is not only talking and texting on a cellphone. It also includes eating while driving, changing the radio station – basically anything that takes your mind, eyes, or hands away from the task of driving increases the risk of a crash.”
LHSC officials point to preventable injury as the number one cause of death in people ages 1 to 44.
In addition to the hospital's atrium, the Jet d'Eau fountain at the Forks of the Thames and London city hall will also go green. As will other Canadian landmarks across the country, including the CN Tower in Toronto and the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie.