[Prevention of accidents among children in France]

Injuries are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in children and account for an impressive number of physician visits. The author reviews injury control strategies used in France, which include both educational efforts undertaken by government agencies or private organizations and the development of regulations and standards for products potentially hazardous to children. New injury control measures can be suggested, such as defining optimal plans for action for especially severe injuries, including injury control recommendations in standard health care guidance, increasing the level of commitment of physicians to injury control, and training well-child clinic staff to routinely look for risk factors in high risk families.