Study: smartphones caused nearly 35,000 injuries in the US in 2021

Say what? According to the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), smartphones caused nearly 35,000 injuries in the U.S. in 2021.

And a new study from Electronics Hub analyzed NEISS data and revealed which consumer electronics cause the most injuries. From exploding batteries to less dramatic hand injuries from overuse, smartphones are the most dangerous electronics, overall.

The Electronics Hub also created a five-year smartphone injury timeline that reveals that the greatest number of smartphone injuries (38,828) occurred in 2019. That’s the year that saw the launch of the iPhone 11 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S10. Here’s a summary of key findings from the report: 

• Smartphones cause 34,443 injuries per year in the U.S., which is more than any other consumer electronic device.
• Visual media, such as TVs, video games and computers, are also among the leading causes of injury.
• The number of video game injuries per year peaked at 25,838 in 2020.
• Injuries related to VR headsets rose by 434.6% between 2020-21.