Violent deaths, including accidental deaths, suicides and homicides, are the main cause of mortality among people aged between 1 and 24 in Switzerland, as in the majority of industrialized countries. During the last 10 years there has been a considerable increase in violent deaths in the 15- to 24-year age range, but this has not been so for other age groups. This article sets out the details of this evolution and makes certain comparisons with other Western countries. In the second part it describes some specific and nonspecific means of prevention, while taking into consideration the reasons for this situation. It finishes by examining the role of medical practitioners in such prevention.