Visitors and well as locals often regard Hawaii as a paradise. However, the islands afford perils to locals and tourists alike that can sometimes result in serious personal injury.
There are not really any personal injuries entirely unique to Hawaii. However, there are accidents that may occur more frequently here than they might in other places. Visitors unfamiliar with the geography or local regulations may be particularly vulnerable to some of the most common accidents.
1. Drowning
Both visitors and Hawaii residents can become involved in drowning accidents. However, tourists are 10 times more likely to drown in Hawaii than locals are. Sometimes this is because of unfamiliarity with the ocean currents or impaired judgment due to alcohol. Other times, they receive poor advice from tour guides, or officials do not communicate the hazards widely or clearly enough.
2. Falls
Among Hawaii residents, falls are a leading cause of injury, especially among those aged 65 and older. Although women are more likely to require hospitalization because of a fall, the incidence is approximately equal between men and women. A fall can result in potentially serious injuries such as broken bones, brain trauma and disk herniation. Among unintentional accidents in Hawaii besides drowning, falls are most likely to prove fatal.
3. Motor vehicle accidents
Car accidents are more common in some parts of Hawaii than others. Rates in Honolulu County are relatively low compared with those in Hawaii and Kauai Counties. It is not only vehicle occupants, including drivers and passengers, who suffer injuries from motor vehicle accidents but also potentially bicyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists. A majority of the people who die in Hawaiian motor vehicle collisions are male.
4. Suffocation
Suffocation, caused by a foreign object getting into the body via an orifice, is a leading cause of unintentional injury and death among children less than 5 years old in Hawaii. While it is more common for children to suffocate due to inhaling food, inhalation of nonfood objects is more likely to send them to the emergency department.
5. Accidental poisoning
A majority of accidental poisonings in Hawaii result from illicit drugs, including psychotropic and narcotic drugs. A majority of people who die from accidental poisonings are males between the ages of 45 to 64.