How widespread is TBI

  • Each year 1.4 million people attend hospitals in England and Wales after suffering a head injury, of whom 150,000 are admitted to hospital. [National Clinical Guideline (2003)]
  • Road Traffic Accidents account for 50% of all traumatic brain injuries. This includes cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians hit by vehicles.
  • The leading causes of traumatic brain injuries vary by age: falls are the leading cause among persons aged 65 years and older; transportation is the leading cause among persons under the age of 65 years.
  • Estimates suggest that sports related brain injury accounts for close to 300,000 injuries each year, with winter sports such as skiing and ice-skating accounting for close to 20,000 brain injuries.
  • Assaults are another common cause.
  • Infection, disease and stroke also cause a large number of acquired brain injuries. Estimates for encephalitis alone amount to 4,000 new cased per year.