SMARTRISK is calling on its supporters to help us reach the finals of the Aviva Community Fund competition. Ours was one of the 62 semi-finalist ideas that made it through one of three initial rounds of voting. A final round of voting takes place Dec. 2-16, after which the 25 ideas with the most votes proceed to the judging round. Visit http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf1059 to vote every day from Dec. 2-16.

SMARTRISK offers sincere gratitude to all who voted in the Aviva Community Fund competition to bring No Regrets to 250 schools next year. Among the 900+ ideas submitted, SMARTRISK tallied more than 4,100 votes, moving us to the semi-finals. Please vote again in the Dec. 2-16 round to ensure SMARTRISK’s is among the 25 ideas moving to the final judging phase.

SMARTRISK has entered in the Aviva Community Fund competition an idea to train 250 new No Regrets schools in 2010. You can help us make it happen. The 25 ideas with the most votes will make it to the semi-finals and have a chance to share in the $500,000 fund.

SMARTRISK’s youth programs now have their own website, where students, teachers, parents, sponsors and anyone else interested in youth injury can find what they need online. No Regrets students can download activities and events to organize in their schools, parents can get advice on talking to teens about risk and interested visitors can find out about SMARTRISK’s philosophy.

SMARTRISK’s newly published The Economic Burden of Injury in Canada is featured in an article in The Globe and Mail today by André Picard. As Mr. Picard notes, “Injuries sustained in everyday activities, from bone-breaking falls to motor-vehicle crashes that rip families apart, cost the Canadian economy a staggering $19.8-billion a year.”

Injury costs Canadians $19.8 billion annually – more than $600 for each man, woman and child in the country, according to a new report released by SMARTRISK today, The Economic Burden of Injury in Canada. In fact, injury – from falls, traffic, drowning, suicide, violence and other means – remains the leading cause of death for Canadians aged one to 44, taking the lives of 13,667 people in 2004.

SMARTRISK is pleased to announce that Edward (Ned) Levitt is the new Chairman of our Board of Directors. Mr. Levitt brings to the Board an accomplished career as one of Canada’s leading franchise lawyers. He is also a widely published author and sought after speaker. In addition, Mr. Levitt brings to SMARTRISK his experience as a parent tragically affected by injury.

Many jurisdictions in Canada, the United States and around the world have passed legislation banning driving while talking on handheld cellphones. It’s no surprise governments have worked to eliminate the practice. We all have heard or told stories of nearly being hit by someone who has been driving erratically while chatting away, oblivious to everything around him or her.

On average, each week over 40 people visit an Ontario emergency department for injuries from snowmobiling. Teen males have the highest number of emergency department visits and males in their early 30s are most often admitted to hospital for snowmobiling injuries. Learn more about snowmobiling injuries in the December issue of the Ontario Injury Compass.

Every day, 2,000 children and teenagers from around the world die from an unintentional injury, according to a groundbreaking new report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF, released Dec. 10, 2008. The report describes the top five unintentional injuries and recommends action.