Book 3, Question 58
Why Do Stairs Have Railings?
A railing is a second path for your hand. If a foot slips, your arm can still catch the fall. So railings help keep us safe on stairs!
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 3
More fun facts
- From 1990 to 2012, about 1.08 million people a year went to U.S. emergency rooms for injuries on stairs.
- That is about 24.8 million people over 23 years.
- Young children and older adults had the highest injury rates.
- Sprains and strains were the most common stair injuries, followed by soft tissue injuries and broken bones.
- Children 10 and under more often hurt their head or neck.
- Injuries on stairs were becoming more common, so experts call for better stair design and building.
Sources: ajemjournal.com
Questions kids ask
Are stairs really that dangerous?
Yes. About a million people a year in the U.S. go to the emergency room after stair injuries.