Danger score versus ER volume
Danger score versus ER volume
According to CPSC NEISS 2005-2024, Batons ranks #762 of 838 by danger score (26/100) at ER-volume #617 of 838 (454/yr). They are not the same ranking.
- #762
- danger rank of 838
- #617
- ER-volume rank of 838
- 26/100
- danger score
- 454/yr
- estimated ER visits (avg)
Danger score combines injury volume, hospitalization, fatality, and five-year trend. ER volume is the average annual NEISS estimate alone. Rank 1 is highest on each list.
Where 9,079 estimated ER injuries land on the body
Body-part shares from the same CPSC NEISS injury_types extract for product code 1271. Segments sum to 9,079 - a body-map mix, not a danger score or ER-volume rank.
Two danger lenses
Same-group peer scores and this product's dial
The bars compare PlainSafety danger scores inside the Sports & Recreation Equipment group (same CPSC NEISS extract). The dial is this product's score alone on the Low/Moderate/High bands. Do not read a peer bar as an ER-visit count.
Sports & Recreation Equipment danger scores
How this 26/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for batons - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume454 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)1.6%
- Fatality rate0.00%
- 5-year trend-52%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Batons (CPSC product code 1271, in the Sports & Recreation Equipment category) generate an estimated 454 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 9,070 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 26/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are declining by about 52% over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2015 (902 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2020 (135 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for batons is strain, sprain to the wrist, accounting for approximately 677 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by internal injury to the head (614 cases). The 5-14 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 4,238 cases over the NEISS window, and females appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 1.6% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 0 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how batons fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 62 | 185 | |
| 5-14 | 624 | 3,614 | |
| 15-24 | 489 | 2,839 | |
| 25-34 | 366 | 390 | |
| 35-44 | 16 | 245 | |
| 45-54 | 15 | 132 | |
| 55-64 | 97 | 0 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Face | Fracture | |
| Hand | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Face | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Eyeball | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Mouth | Laceration | |
| Finger | Strain, Sprain | |
| Wrist | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Elbow | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Finger | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Knee | Strain, Sprain |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
8YOF PRESENTS TO ED WITH A HEADACHE AFTER BEING HIT IN THE HEAD WITH A BATON AT CAMP. DX: HEADACHE;DIZZINESS
16 YOF C/O FINGER CONTUSION S/P TWIRLING A BATON. DX: FINGER CONTUSION
18YOF WAS PRACTICING BATON AND HIT HEAD W THE BATON DX: CONCUSSION
12YOF WAS AT BATON PRACTICE AND ACCIDENTALLY TRIPPED ON OWN SHOE DX ANKLE SPRAIN
16YOM SWALLOWED THE TIP OF A BATON DX: FOREIGN BODY IN ANUS AND RECTUM
15 YOF WAS AT COLOR GUARD PRACTICE, BATON HIT FACE DX FACIAL LACERATION
15 YOF C/O HEAD INJURY S/P HIT BY A METAL FLAG BATON WHILE AT FLAG PRACTICE. DX: HEAD INJURY
17YOF WAS PERFORMING AT A GAME AND THREW HER BATON IN THE AIR AND IT HIT HER EYE DX: FACIAL LACERATION
11YOF WITH SPRAINED HAND FROM A BATON DX: SPRAINED HAND
30YOM PT'S FACE WAS HIT WITH BATON, SUSTAINED SMALL LAAC TO LT OUTER EYE NO DX #
12YOF WITH ANKLE PAIN. C/O PAIN FOR ABOUT A DAY. NO KNOW INJURY, ALTHOUGH SHE IS INVOLVED IN BATON AND GYM. DX: RIGHT ANKLE PAIN
16YOF KNEE PAIN WHEN PRACTICING BATON TWIRLINGDX SPRAIN KNEE
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to batons on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does batons rank on danger score versus ER volume?
Among 838 scored CPSC product categories, batons ranks #762 by PlainSafety danger score (26/100) and #617 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume (454/yr). The two rankings come from the same NEISS extract and are not the same order.
What are the most common injuries from batons?
The most common injury is strain, sprain to the wrist, accounting for approximately 677 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from batons increasing or decreasing?
Down 52% over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for batons injuries?
The 5-14 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 4,238 cases recorded over 20 years. Females are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by batons?
Of all ER visits involving batons, approximately 1.6% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (98.3%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with batons?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Compare beyond Sports & Recreation Equipment
Nationwide peers by danger score, ER volume & hospitalization
Three PlainSafety-derived comparison paths for Batons: cross-group products nearest on danger score (26/100), estimated annual ER visits (454/yr), and hospitalization share (1.6%). Same-group neighbours stay in Related Products above.
Similar danger score
Nearest cross-group products by PlainSafety danger score (100-point scale).
Similar ER visit volume
Nearest cross-group products by NEISS estimated annual ER visits.
- Darts, Not Otherwise Specified (n.o.s.) Sports Protective Equipment & Gear 455/yr
- Telescopes, Binoculars, Microscopes, Magnifying Glasses Home Structures & Construction Materials 453/yr
- Power Lathes Home Communication & Entertainment 456/yr
- Thermostats (for Heating Or Cooling Systems) Kitchen Small Appliances & Housewares 452/yr
Similar hospitalization rate
Nearest cross-group products by % of NEISS ER visits resulting in hospital admission.
Related Products in Sports & Recreation Equipment
Read with this product
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC. According to PlainSafety's CPSC NEISS corpus ranking, Batons ranks #762 of 838 scored CPSC product categories by PlainSafety danger score and #617 of 838 by 20-year estimated ER injury volume.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
PlainSafety is rendered directly from U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall and incident records, no number is typed in by an editor. Product recall timelines and hazard labels are drawn from CPSC recall records for this product. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.