Falls, motor vehicle crashes, being struck by or against an object, and assaults are four commonly reported causes of TBI:
Falls: Falls are the leading cause of TBI (40 percent) in the United States. They cause more than half (55 percent) of all TBIs among children aged 0–14 years and 81 percent of all TBIs among adults aged 65 years and older.
Being Struck by or Against an Object or Person:
This type of TBI occurs from being struck (hit) or crushed, or colliding with a moving or stationary object or person. These events account for 16 percent of all TBIs and are the second leading cause of TBI among children aged 0–14 years (24%). Sports-related TBIs are one type of TBI that are the result of being struck by or against an object or person.
Motor Vehicle Traffic Incidents: Among all age groups, motor vehicle crashes and traffic related incidents are the third leading cause of TBI (14%) and result in the largest percentage of TBI-related deaths (26%).
Assault: Assaults are the cause of 10 percent of TBIs in the general population; they account for 3 percent of all TBIs among children aged 0–14 years and 1 percent among adults aged 65 years and older. Assaults include injuries in afflicted by another person with intent to injure or kill, such as fights, child maltreatment (e.g., shaken baby or abusive head trauma), and intimate partner violence or elder abuse.