Garage door injury statistics 2024
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, garages are an integral part of homes, with over two-thirds of American households owning a garage or carport. Garage doors are one of the homes most used items and also one of the heaviest pieces of moving equipment. Accidents unfortunately occur, as garage doors weigh several hundred pounds. Accidents have eased in recent years, due to U.S. government regulations implemented in 1993, which require garage doors to automatically reverse and have sensors that detect and open them. However, there are still opportunities for prevention with regular maintenance and awareness of your garage door operations.
Garage door injuries have declined at a 13.4% compound annual growth rate to 34 injuries in 2022, from 61 injuries in 2018.
Jump to insightFrom 2018 to 2022, finger injuries were the most common garage door injury, accounting for 27.8% of all injuries, followed by head injuries at 22.2% of total injuries.
Jump to insightIn 2022, 20.6% of garage door injuries happened to individuals over the age of 65; from 2018 to 2022, 25.5% of the total garage door injuries were to individuals over the age of 65.
Jump to insightTo reduce the risk of entrapment, the U.S. government enacted regulations for all garage door operators (GDOs) manufactured after January 1, 1993, for sale in the country. The regulations include automatic reversal mechanisms, door edge sensors and manual detachment capability.
Jump to insightSixty-six percent of U.S. households own a garage or carport. In the Pacific Region, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington lead with the most garages, where 80% of households have a garage or carport.
Jump to insightGarage door injury statistics
As of January 1, 1993, the U.S. government enacted safety standards effective for all garage door operators (GDOs) due to the deaths of 46 children between the ages of two and 14, from March 1982 to December 1990, according to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC reported prior to 2003 that emergency room visits due to garage door injuries were between 20,000 to 30,000 every year. The garage door injury rate has declined dramatically, due to comprehensive standards implemented on January 1, 1993, which all garage door operators sold in the U.S. must adhere to. The latest available detailed injury data dating back twenty years suggests that injuries associated with garage doors totaled 417.
Injuries per year
There have been an average of 42 garage door injuries per year from 2018 to 2022. According to the CPSC, in 2022, there were 34 injuries related to garage doors. Over the past five years, injuries related to garage doors have declined at a 13.4% compound annual growth rate, from 61 injuries in 2018.
Dangers of automatic garage doors
Garage doors are usually one of the heaviest moving objects in one’s home, weighing several hundred pounds. It is important to check for the following components during an inspection:
- Manual emergency release handle: All garage doors should be equipped with this feature which, if activated, detaches the door from the door opener. The handle should be red, distinguishable from the rest of the garage door system and no more than six feet from the standing surface.
- Door panels: These should be evaluated for fatigue, cracks, dents and separation of materials.
- Warning labels: There should be four warning labels: one on the spring assembly, a general warning label on the back of the door panel, a warning label on the wall near the control button and a tension warning label on the bottom bracket of the garage door.
- Brackets and roller shafts: The garage door opener is connected to the garage door by a bracket; it should attach three to six inches from the top of the door. Roller shafts should be longer on the top and bottom rollers.
- Door operation: Test the door operation by manually raising the door to ensure that it moves freely, opens and closes without difficulty, and does not open or close too quickly.
- Track mounts and bracing: Older garages may use extension springs and most new garages use torsion springs.
- Automatic reverse system: Garage doors are required to be equipped with a mechanism that automatically reverses the door if it comes in contact with an object.
- Door sensors: Garage doors are required to have photoelectric sensors located at the edge of each side of the doors. These help the door to open automatically. Photoelectric sensors must be installed a maximum of six inches above the standing surface, while a pressure-sensitive strip door edge sensor is attached to the base of the garage door.
Garage door regulations
To reduce entrapment, the U.S. government enacted regulations for all garage door operators (GDOs) manufactured after January 1, 1993, for sale in this country. The garage door regulations include automatic reversal mechanisms, door edge sensors and manual detachment capability.
As per mandatory rule (16 CFR part 1211), after January 1, 1993, all residential garage door operators manufactured and sold in the U.S. must have an external entrapment device and “an inherent reversing mechanism capable of reversing the motion of a moving garage door within two seconds, to reduce the risk of entrapment.”
The standard also allows a device, known as a “door edge sensor,” similar to the sensors used on elevator doors, or allows for any other device that provides equivalent protection.”
In addition, the rule requires that all GDOs have a device referred to as a “30-second clock” — a backup device that reopens if the door cannot completely close within 30 seconds.
The rule also requires that every GDO be equipped with a “means to manually detach the door operator from the door.” For many garage doors, the detachment occurs by pulling on a red handle that hangs below the GDO.
Garage door injury data
Finger and head injuries are the most prevalent, accounting for 50% of all garage door injuries over the five-year period, followed by hand and face injuries, which totaled 21.7% for the period.
By age, from 2018 to 2022, over 25.5% of garage door injuries happened to individuals over the age of 65, totaling 54 injuries. Children are also vulnerable to garage door injuries; those ages 10 and under incurred 10.4% of the total injuries from 2018 to 2022, totaling 22 injuries.
By region, how many U.S. homes have a garage?
As of 2021, 66% of U.S. households own a garage or carport according, to U.S. Census Bureau data. The Pacific Region leads with the most states with the most garages, including Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington. When combined, 80% of their households have a garage or carport. The Middle Atlantic region has the fewest garages, including New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, where only 53% of the total households have a garage or carport.
FAQ
How often do garage door springs break?
Most commonly, garage door springs break due to wear and tear. Springs can last on average of 10,000 cycles, with one cycle including the opening and closing of a door. A garage door spring should last seven to 10 years. Two signs to look for with a garage door spring problem are balance issues, which include uneven opening and closing, taking longer to open and close, making strange sounds when opening and closing, a door that won’t open, and excessive squeakiness.
What are the most common garage door injuries?
The three most common ways that individuals are injured by garage doors are:
- Getting fingers caught in the garage door sections
- The garage door lowering onto someone
- Someone getting injured by trying to repair the garage door
To prevent getting injured, keep hands and body away from the garage door while it is in motion. Do not let anyone hang from the garage door. Do not duck under the garage door while it is closing. Keep the garage door well-maintained and ensure that the sensors are operating properly.
References
- Gromicko, N. “Garage Doors and Openers.” International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, Evaluated Mar. 20, 2024.Link Here
- Energy.gov. “FOTW #1268, December 12, 2022: As of 2021, Two-Thirds of U.S. Housing Units Had a Garage or Carport, Improving Opportunities for EV Adoption” Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Evaluated Mar. 21, 2024.Link Here
- United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. “National Electronic Surveillance System (NEISS).” United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Evaluated Mar. 22, 2024.Link Here
- United States Federal Register. “Safety Standard for Automatic Residential Garage Door Operators.” United States Federal Register. Evaluated Mar. 22, 2024.Link Here
- United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. “CPSC Safety Standard Targets Garage Door Deaths” United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Evaluated Mar. 22, 2024.Link Here
- OGD.com “How to Tell When You Need to Replace Garage Door Springs” OGD.com. Evaluated Mar. 22, 2024.Link Here
- Utahgaragedoors.net “3 Most Common Garage Door Injuries and How to Avoid Them” Utahgaragedoors.net. Evaluated Mar. 22, 2024.Link Here
- Kristina “Garage Door Maintenance Tips” Doorpros.com. Evaluated Mar. 22, 2024Link Here
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