The Word “Accident”: No Chance, No Error, No Destiny

Abstract

The word accident is broadly used both popularly and by specific fields of work. For example, the expression, motor vehicle accident is deep-seated in medicine, specialized literature, and even the International Classification of Disease. This requires a revision of the word's standard use and the consequences it has for those working in injury prevention and control. According to its usual meaning, the word accident designates an unforeseen, generally tragic event, which alters the normal course of things. The word accident represents an obstacle to study the problem because it sugests an unexpected event. But an accident is not the result of chance or fate, and moreover, it is not intentional (meaning it is not the result of a conscious desire to cause damage). The word accident also is used to describe a human error. This use of the term results in the exclusion of the person from the sequence that derived in an unintentional injury. Therefore, it makes it impossible to analyze the actions that led to the unsafe behavior. Accidents also are attributed to fate, destiny, or divine intervention. Because these beliefs function as premises, they inhibit and even hinder the awareness of the factors that led to the event. Therefore, they cause difficulties for the implementation of prevention strategies. It is significant how widespread the use of a word is that (1) does not explain the event it names; and (2) transmits the wrong perception about the event's origin. Namely, the word accident suggests a situation that is not explained by the term itself. Therefore, the use of the term is the first obstacle that must be faced. To overcome this barrier, a potential solution would be to replace this word with the term injury, first, in specialized fields such as medicine, and later, extending it to the general public. The recommendation to avoid the use of the word accident is based on this word's connotation, which leads us to think that these events happen by chance and are unpredictable and unpreventable. In contrast, other terms that do not have the same connotation--such as crash, collision, impact, etc.--highlight the predictable and preventable aspect of injuries.... Open Access through the DOI (term-accident-vs-injury)