National Friendly highlight age-related risk discrepancies for everyday accidents

According to the latest research commissioned by National Friendly, as part of its ‘Bruised Britain’ study, 33% of adults in the UK who experienced an accident in the last three years described it as ‘serious’.

Related topics:  National Friendly,  Protection
Tabitha Lambie | Editor, Protection Reporter
21st January 2025
Person holding their knee in pain
"From sports injuries to accidents involving scooters and phones, these findings underscore the importance of having a safety net in place – for health and finances."
- Graham Singleton, CEO of National Friendly

Of those surveyed (2,000), 33% of adults involved with accidents in the last three years described it as ‘serious’, with the most common type of accident being a fall at home (34%).

READ MORE: National Friendly warns 15% of adults involved in accidents in the last three years now live with long-term disability

Amongst those aged 25 or younger who’d been in an accident in the last three years, almost one in four (23%) suffered a sports-related injury, while hazardous sports led to injuries in 8% - the national averages are 16% and 4% respectively.

Notably, younger people are more likely to have accidents involving scooters (14%, which is twice the national average), push bikes (13% vs 8%), and mobile phones (13% vs 6%). Furthermore, 10% of those aged 35 or younger had suffered an allergic reaction (4% higher than the national average) and 9% (vs 4%) were electrocuted.

National Friendly also found that women are more likely to have experienced a fall at home (38% vs 28% of men) as well as outside the home (29% vs 16%). However, men have more accidents in the workplace (14% vs 11%) and in the car (13% vs 8%). Public roads were the most common place for an accident (13%), followed by the living room (9%), public place outdoors (8%), the kitchen (8%), and the stairs (7%).

Just over four in ten (43%) of those who’d be in an accident partly blame themselves for their most recent incident, falling to 35% amongst those aged 35 or younger. 13% said another person played a part in causing their accident, whilst 7% blamed an animal. Meanwhile, 10% blamed the weather for causing accidents and 8% cited the state of the roads (ie potholes).

“Our ‘Bruised Britain’ research highlights the growing risk of everyday accidents, particularly amongst younger generations who often juggle busy, active lifestyles. From sports injuries to accidents involving scooters and phones, these findings underscore the importance of having a safety net in place – for health and finances,” explained Graham Singleton, CEO of National Friendly.

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