Shocking Garage Door Injury Statistics

Big & Tall Lee® Premium Select Loose-Fit Comfort-Waist Jeans
Comfort zone. Featuring a flexible waistband, these men's Lee jeans keep you feeling great all day.

Bayou Reversible Seasoned Cast Iron Griddle Grill Pan w/ 28" by 14" Cooking Area
You can't have fresh-flipped buttermilk pancakes or a nice, sizzling steak without a surface to cook on. Turn your burners into the ultimate flat or grate-line grill with the Bayou 28-Inch Reversible Griddle. This 2-sided, reversible griddle is the answer you've been searching for. Whether you'r...

Whether it’s a residential garage door, massive dock door for a big box store or a roll-up door for a mall retail shop, one thing is certain: Without proper maintenance and repairs, overhead doors can be literal death traps. With reports peppering the nation about injuries from faulty sensors or outdated garage doors catching feet, children and pets, a subpar garage door is a huge liability. However, the actual injury statistics may surprise you.

According to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance Survey (NEISS), the most common type of garage door injury is “pinch/crush section joints” which happens to about 7,550 Americans each year. This includes “fingers caught between section joints, (and) includes amputations, avulsions, etc.” It’s no surprise that this is the most common, but what’s astounding is just how serious these injuries can be. All it takes is a few skipped maintenance inspections or a bad spring to bring a lawsuit to your family or business.

“Crushing” Reports

The second most common injury occurs from “falling doors,” with over 2,100 Americans falling victim to this each year. According to NEISS, this happens when a “door falls for any reason” and includes reasons like a bad installation, outdated and un-maintained doors, or any other number of things. However, a quality garage door with solid installation won’t fall “for any reason”, which is why it’s paramount to demand both top notch doors and installation.

“Sharp edges” account for over 800 injuries every year, with NEISS defining it as “lacerations from garage door window glass.” Today’s garage doors-when they do feature glass-are shatter-resistant. Should they break, which is rare, it’s similar to when a car window breaks. The result is gummy and messy, but there aren’t any sharp edges. Unfortunately, that’s not true of older overhead doors.

Rounding Out the Top Offenses

“Other entrapment” happens to nearly 200 Americans every year. “Half of these were fingers caught between rollers and tracks” according to the research, and could also fall into the pinch/crush category. Tracks and rollers are some of the most common parts that need maintenance, but it’s always best to have a professional handle it.

“Race to beat the door” leads to around 135 injuries every year in the US. “People trying to get through the opening before the door closes” is a dangerous game, but a fruitless one if you have a good overhead door with sensors. When this is the case, the sensor will stop the door from closing (and perhaps re-open it) when there’s any movement detected.

Playing it Safe

Finally, “riding the door” can (not surprisingly) cause about 90 injuries per year in the US. This should be avoided with a little common sense, but of course that’s something children and teens don’t have in abundance. However, an overhead door that’s current and undergoes regular inspections should be able to hold the weight of a child-of course, that should never be put to the test.

The vast majority of these injuries are avoidable with common sense, maintenance and upgrades. Going without these three is a gamble no homeowner, landlord or business owner should take since the house (or in this case garage door) always wins.

Women's Croft & Barrow® Plaid Flannel Shirt
For a cute, cozy look, reach for this women's Croft & Barrow flannel shirt.

Jockey Sport® Coverage Long-Line Sports Bra
A workout essential. This women's Jockey Sport sports bra will become a staple in your fitness wardrobe.

The Big One™ Collapsible Cubby Storage Cabinet
With a foldable design, this The Big One collapsible cubby storage cabinet brings extra storage to any room of your home.

Women's Miss Elaine Essentials Short Gripper Robe
Cozy style is yours with this comfortable robe from Miss Elaine Essentials.

Juniors' SO® Slouchy Crewneck Sweater
The textured detailing gives this cute juniors' sweater from SO a pop of style!

Sonoma Goods For Life® Ultimate Performance Trellis Doormat
Trap dirt and moisture at the door with the durable molded design of this Sonoma Goods For Life Ultimate Performance doormat, featuring a surface you can scrape for convenient cleaning.

Alabama Crimson Tide Portable Folding Chair - Toddler
NCAA chairs at Kohl's - This toddler chair features team graphics, a steel frame and a carrying case. Shop our full line of NCAA products at Kohl's.

You may also like...