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Accidents which occur in the homes are often much less dramatic
than those which occur on the road, on the railway, or in the air.
Certainly they receive less publicity. The position is, however, that
more people die each year from home accidents than do as the result
of injuries sustained on the road. In these circumstances it is reasonable
that at least as much attention should be given to the prevention
of home accidents as is at present given to road accidents. The
prevention of the latter is the responsibility of the individual be
he pedestrian or driver. This personal responsibility of the public
is very much reinforced by statutory measures such as police control,
traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, "no parking" signs and so on.
The possibility of legal compulsion is very much diminished in relation
to occurrences in private residences. Parliament has passed a certain
amount of legislation mainly directed to making safe appliances and
materials before they are taken into the home. For example, electric
and gas fires cannot be sold without suitable guards, and oil stoves
must conform to certain safety standards. Legal enforcement has been
attempted in regard to the provision of fireguards, but any person
over 16 years of age only becomes criminally liable if a child under
the age of 12 years is killed, or sustains serious injury, as the result
of burns or scalds whilst in their care, in any room containing
an open fire grate or any heating appliance which is not sufficiently
guarded. In the home, therefore, the prevention of accidents becomes
much more a matter of personal responsibility than is the case in regard
to accidents occurring elsewhere. Since the majority of home
accidents occur in children under the age of five years and in men and
women over the age of 65 years, as well as in the handicapped and infirm,
this responsibility for prevention must, in many instances, be
exercised, in the interest of others, by everyone who is fit and able
to do so.