Home is where the danger is, Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) statistics reveal, having shown 30 Otago people died as a result of accidents in their homes last year.
Twenty-four of those 30 deaths occurred in Dunedin homes, with the majority caused by slips, trips and falls.
Dunedin accounted for more than half of 28,200 injuries in home accidents in the province (16,100), followed by Queenstown-Lakes (4400), and Central Otago District (3700).
The statistics placed the region ninth in the country for injuries per capita, with Auckland recording the highest number of injuries per capita, followed by Napier and Tauranga.
The regions with the safest homes were in Southland and Marlborough.
South Islanders were less accident-prone than North Islanders.
Statistics were released by ACC to coincide with Safety New Zealand Week.
They show 12 New Zealanders die each week, with a further 12,000 injured in at-home accidents.
ACC Minister Nick Smith said statistics showing one in seven New Zealanders were injured in their own homes were "alarming", and he called for people to take precautions to avoid injury.
Dr Smith said there was a misconception that people's homes were safer than other environments.
Safety New Zealand Week:
• In 2009, 632,900 New Zealanders were injured at home; of them, 621 people died from their injuries.
• On average 12 New Zealanders die every week from accidents in their home, with 12,000 injured.
• One in three accidents occurs at home, costing the country $622 million annually.
• Slips, trips and falls make up 41% of all accidents (ACC advises people to wear non-slip shoes inside).
• More than 17,000 accidents occur annually in bathrooms (ACC advises people to use non-slip mats).
• There are 87 stair-related accidents each day (ACC advises people to turn lights on when using stairs).
• Last year more than 5400 people were injured while using a ladder at home (ACC advises people to not over-reach sideways when on a ladder).
Source: ACC
