Unintentional injuries among adolescents and young adults: a review and analysis.

Unintentional injury is the leading cause of mortality and an important cause of morbidity in adolescents and young adults. A review of the literature suggests that the male gender and substance abuse are important contributors to many accidents. One recent study has identified some significant teenage educational needs regarding accident prevention; others report paradoxical outcomes following untargeted educational programs for teenagers. It appears that the greatest potential for success in the prevention of unintentional injury in this age group is regulatory and legislative measures.