Top 10 Causes of Accidental Death
Life is full of accidents. From spilling your milk to elbowing your loved one in the night. These particular accidents however result is something much worse than a black eye. These are the top 10 accidents that could land you 6 feet under.
10. Electrocution
~500 Deaths / Year
There is about a 1 in 10,000 chance you’ll inadvertently join the some 4,500 inmates who have died by electrocution. Better be careful next time you’re changing the light bulb.
9. Getting Hit by a Car
~1,100 Deaths / Year
Didn’t your mama teach you to look both ways before crossing the street? Think twice next time you step off the curb and expect someone jabbering on their cell phone to give a damn.
8. Firearm Discharge
~1,150 Deaths / Year
Yah, you have the right to bear arms. Just put a lock on it! The odds of your kid getting whacked by a loaded firearm are about 1 in 5000.
7. Complications with Medical Procedure
~3,000 Deaths / Year
Going under the knife? Better make sure Doc is on his game before you let him rub on your innards.
6. Choking
~3,200 Deaths / Year
Know the Heimlich maneuver? You might consider learning since 3,200 people died from choking on a gobstopper or a piece of fillet mignon. Who knows you might just be a hero.
5. Drowning
~3,500 Deaths / Year
Swimming, bathing, boating, or any other activity to do with water results in thousands of people accidentally drowning to death. Maybe Steve Jobs should market iGills.
4. Fire
~3,700 Deaths / Year
Dying in a fire would really have to suck. Being burned to death has always been one of my worst fears. The odds of dying from smoke inhalation, a falling beam, a back draft, or just plain burning to death are about 1 in 1000.
3. Poisoning
~9,500 Deaths / Year
People just love to overdose on their drugs. This also includes accidental poisonings like swigging some Windex or Clorox. My wife and I called Poison Control a couple years ago when our 2 year old downed half a bottle of KY Jelly. Thankfully all that did was give her “the runs” for about a week.
2. Falling
~15,000 Deaths / Year
Bob Saget cashed in on the #2 accidental death with America’s Funniest Home Video. I guess it really is surprising how many people fall off a ladder and through a plate glass window to meet there demise. Your odds of doing the same are 1 in 218!
1. Car Crash
~44,000 Deaths / Year
No real surprise here. If you’ve been driving for 5 years or so you’ve probably been in an accident. Thankfully for you it wasn’t fatal. Wonder how much longer until Moller comes out with their flying car?
Yikes. Kids dying from guns is awful. All of these are awful. Interesting to know the facts.
It’s more interesting to note that most gun deaths are suicides, followed by drug related, and many of those are gang related. Guns are used to prevent death and crimes at a much higher rate.
many of the so called child deaths are actually 18-19 year old gang members shooting each other.
The chances of a child being accidently killed by a gun are small. Back yard swimming pools are the most likely place for a child to die accidently, in states where they are prevalent. When guns are used to prevent a crime/assault/robbery, they are only actually fired less than ten percent of the time.
Well, the statistics are against us. I have to get myself a life insurance!
wow yeh cars really are so deadly! I agree kids (or anyone) getting shot is so sad
Kids(or anyone) getting killed is sad.More people die by drowning than from firearms. Isn’t That sad?
I thought firearms would be number 1?
Accidental Shooting
I would’ve thought getting hit by a car would rank up there with car accidents. Shows what I know.
Interesting list, finally something to show for my family who always complain about my hobbies =).
Scary! I didn’t know that electrocution made it.
Notice how poorly people drive these days? Just imaging how bad that will be when we take to the skies!!!!!
Hopefully the computers will take control then…
Nice Flying Car
Who provided you with your statics on the number of deaths due to someone discharging a firearm? Using your number of 1,150 accidental deaths per year due to someone discharging a firearm AND assuming that all of those deaths were children (which they are not) then the rate of probability of accidentally death by gun shot for children is 1 in 52,946, not the 1 in 5,000 you claim. This assumes a child population (0 to 14 years old) of 60,888,062 per the US Census bureau (July 2007). Since all of the 1,150 deaths per year are not children then the probability is even lower! If I wanted to play fast and loose with the numbers like you or your source I could say that a “child” is 0 to 18 years old and increase the population to over 82 million further dropping the probability. But defining a child to include 18 year olds just to sway statistics would be unethical.
Please source your statistics or correct your information.
I am assuming the accidental discharge of a firearm is for all ages, and I think the numbers are a bit skewed. Can yo ustate your source? I will say this about children and firearms. Most children who accidentally shoot themselves do so in the head or upper body. Anyone know why? Because their frightened parents were too idiotic to teach them gun safety and to know not to look down the barrel. Bet you teach your kids not to do drugs though, right? An ounce of ignorance….
Teach your children that guns are not violent actors, pit bulls are. Let me lay my gun on the counter and leave the room…did it shoot you while I was gone? Let me leave my pit bull alone with you while I take a trip to the john. Hmmm…which one is more inclined to make a choice on it’s own? Ted Kennedy’s car has killed more people than my gun.
Wow…really sad. But really great information especially if you’re writing a book like me! thank you for your help!
