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What are the odds of dying?

The table below was prepared in response to frequent inquiries, especially from the media, asking questions such as, "What are the odds of being killed by lightning?" or "What are the chances of dying in a plane crash?"

The table has four columns. The first column gives the manner of injury such as motor-vehicle crash, fall, fire, etc. The second column gives the total number of deaths nationwide due to the manner of injury in 2001 (the latest year for which data are available). The third column gives the odds of dying in one year due to the manner of injury. The fourth column gives the lifetime odds of dying from the manner of injury. Statements about the odds or chances of dying from a given cause of death may be made as follows:

  • The odds of dying from (manner of injury) in 2001 were 1 in (value given in the one-year odds column).
  • The life-time odds of dying from (manner of injury) for a person born in 2001 were 1 in (value given in the lifetime odds column).

For example, referring to the first line of the table below:

  • The odds of dying from an injury in 2001 were 1 in 1,781.
  • The lifetime odds of dying from an injury for a person born in 2001 were 1 in 23.

The odds given below are statistical averages over the whole U.S. population and do not necessarily reflect the chances of death for a particular person from a particular external cause. Any individual's odds of dying from various external causes are affected by the activities in which they participate, where they live and drive, what kind of work they do, and other factors.

Source: National Safety Council estimates based on data from National Center for Health Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau. Deaths are classified on the basis of the Tenth Revision of the World Health Organization's "The International Classification of Diseases" (ICD). Numbers following titles refer to External Cause of Morbidity and Mortality classifications in ICD-10. One year odds are approximated by dividing the 2001 population (285,093,813) by the number of deaths. Lifetime odds are approximated by dividing the one-year odds by the life expectancy of a person born in 2001 (77.2 years).


Odds of Death Due to Injury, United States, 2001


Type of Accident or Manner of Injury Deaths One Year Odds Lifetime Odds
All External Causes of Mortality, V01-Y89, *U01, *U03 160,099 1,781 23
  Deaths Due to Unintentional (Accidental) Injuries, V01-X59, Y85-Y86 101,537 2,808 36
    Transport Accidents, V01-V99, Y85 47,288 6,029 78
    Pedestrian, V01-V09 6,071 46,960 608
    Pedalcyclist, V10-V19 792 359,967 4,663
    Motorcycle rider, V20-V29 3,042 93,719 1,214
    Occupant of three-wheeled motor vehicle, V30-V39 11 25,917,619 335,720
    Car occupant, V40-V49 14,946 19,075 247
    Occupant of pick-up truck or van, V50-V59 3,739 76,249 988
    Occupant of heavy transport vehicle, V60-V69 374 762,283 9,874
    Bus occupant, V70-V79 37 7,705,238 99,809
    Animal rider or occupant of animal-drawn vehicle, V80 116 2,457,705 31,836
    Occupant of railway train or railway vehicle, V81 26 10,965,147 142,036
    Occupant of streetcar, V82 3 95,031,271 1,230,975
    Other and unspecified land transport accidents, V83-V89 16,036 17,778 230
      Occupant of special industrial vehicle, V83 10 28,509,381 369,293
      Occupant of special agricultural vehicle, V84 239 1,192,861 15,452
      Occupant of special construction vehicle, V85 18 15,838,545 205,163
      Occupant of all-terrain or other off-road motor vehicle, V86 751 379,619 4,917
      Other and unspecified person, V87-V89 15,018 18,983 246
    Water transport accidents, V90-V94 591 482,392 6,249
      Drowning, V90, V92 413 690,300 8,942
      Other and unspecified injuries, V91, V93-V94 178 1,601,651 20,747
    Air and space transport accidents, V95-V97 918 310,560 4,023
    Other and unspecified transport accidents and sequelae, V98-V99, Y85 586 486,508 6,302
      Other specified transport accidents, V98 1 285,093,813 3,692,925
      Unspecified transport accident, V99 3 95,031,271 1,230,975
    Nontransport Unintentional (Accidental) Injuries, W00-X59, Y86 54,249 5,255 68
    Falls, W00-W19 15,019 18,982 246
      Fall on same level from slipping, tripping, and stumbling, W01 564 505,485 6,548
      Other fall on same level, W00, W02-W03, W18 2,570 110,931 1,437
      Fall involving bed, chair, other furniture, W06-W08 734 388,411 5,031
      Fall on and from stairs and steps, W10 1,462 195,003 2,526
      Fall on and from ladder or scaffolding, W11-W12 439 649,416 8,412
      Fall from out of or through building or structure, W13 580 491,541 6,367
      Other fall from one level to another, W09, W14-W17 840 339,397 4,396
      Other and unspecified fall, W04-W05, W19 7,830 36,410 472
    Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces, W20-W49 2,752 103,595 1,342
      Struck by or striking against object, W20-W22 853 334,225 4,329
      Caught between objects, W23 116 2,457,705 31,836
      Contact with machinery, W24, W30-W31 648 439,960 5,699
      Contact with sharp objects, W25-W29 81 3,519,677 45,592
      Firearms discharge, W32-W34 802 355,479 4,605
      Explosion and rupture of pressurized devices, W35-W38 38 7,502,469 97,182
      Fireworks discharge, W39 6 47,515,636 615,488
      Explosion of other materials, W40 138 2,065,897 26,760
      Foreign body entering through skin or natural orifice, W44-W45 33 8,639,206 111,907
      Other and unspecified inanimate mechanical forces, W41-W43, W49 37 7,705,238 99,809
    Exposure to animate mechanical forces, W50-W64 160 1,781,836 23,081
      Struck by or against another person, W50-W52 45 6,335,418 82,065
      Bitten or struck by dog, W54 25 11,403,753 147,717
      Bitten or struck by other mammals, W53, W55 65 4,386,059 56,814
      Bitten or stung by nonvenomous insect and other arthropods, W57 9 31,677,090 410,325
      Bitten or crushed by other reptiles, W59 0 --- ---
      Other and unspecified animate mechanical forces, W56, W58, W60, W64 16 17,818,363 230,808
    Accidental drowning and submersion, W65-W74 3,281 86,892 1,126
      Drowning and submersion while in or falling into bath-tub, W65-W66 322 885,385 11,469
      Drowning and submersion while in or falling into swimming-pool, W67-W68 596 478,345 6,196
      Drowning and submersion while in or falling into natural water, W69-W70 1,054 270,487 3,504
      Other and unspecified drowning and submersion, W73-W74 1,309 217,795 2,821
    Other accidental threats to breathing, W75-W84 5,555 51,322 665
      Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, W75 456 625,206 8,099
      Other accidental hanging and strangulation, W76 279 1,021,842 13,236
      Threat to breathing due to cave-in, falling earth and other substances, W77 56 5,090,961 65,945
      Inhalation of gastric contents, W78 422 675,578 8,751
      Inhalation and ingestion of food causing obstruction of respiratory tract, W79 742 384,223 4,977
      Inhalation and ingestion of other objects causing obstruction of respiratory tract, W80 3,021 94,371 1,222
      Confined to or trapped in a low-oxygen environment, W81 20 14,254,691 184,646
      Other and unspecified threats to breathing, W83-W84 559 510,007 6,606
    Exposure to electric current, radiation, temperature, and pressure, W85-W99 431 661,471 8,568
      Electric transmission lines, W85 83 3,434,865 44,493
      Other and unspecified electric current, W86-W87 326 874,521 11,328
      Radiation, W88-W91 0 --- ---
      Excessive heat or cold of man-made origin, W92-W93 8 35,636,727 461,616
      High and low air pressure and changes in air pressure, W94 13 21,930,293 284,071
      Other and unspecified man-made environmental factors, W99 1 285,093,813 3,692,925
    Exposure to smoke, fire and flames, X00-X09 3,309 86,157 1,116
      Uncontrolled fire in building or structure, X00 2,673 106,657 1,382
      Uncontrolled fire not in building or structure, X01 61 4,673,669 60,540
      Controlled fire in building or structure, X02 44 6,479,405 83,930
      Controlled fire not in building or structure, X03 41 6,953,508 90,071
      Ignition of highly flammable material, X04 53 5,379,129 69,678
      Ignition or melting of nightwear, X05 5 57,018,763 738,585
      Ignition or melting of other clothing and apparel, X06 125 2,280,751 29,543
      Other and unspecified smoke fire and flames, X08-X09 307 928,644 12,029
    Contact with heat and hot substances, X10-X19 114 2,500,823 32,394
      Contact with hot tap-water, X11 57 5,001,646 64,788
      Other and unspecified heat and hot substances, X10, X12-X19 57 5,001,646 64,788
    Contact with venomous animals and plants, X20-X29 61 4,673,669 60,540
      Contact with venomous snakes and lizards, X20 7 40,727,688 527,561
      Contact with venomous spiders, X21 5 57,018,763 738,585
      Contact with hornets, wasps and bees, X23 43 6,630,089 85,882
      Contact with other and unspecified venomous animal or plant, X22, X24-X29 6 47,515,636 615,488
    Exposure to forces of nature, X30-X39 1,100 259,176 3,357
      Exposure to excessive natural heat, X30 300 950,313 12,310
      Exposure to excessive natural cold, X31 599 475,950 6,165
      Lightning, X33 44 6,479,405 83,930
      Earthquake and other earth movements, X34-X36 28 10,181,922 131,890
      Cataclysmic storm, X37 54 5,279,515 68,388
      Flood, X38 35 8,145,538 105,512
      Exposure to other and unspecified forces of nature, X32, X39 40 7,127,345 92,323
    Accidental poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances, X40-X49 14,078 20,251 262
      Nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics, and antirheumatics, X40 208 1,370,643 17,754
      Antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic, antiparkinsonism, and psychotropic drugs n.e.c., X41 763 373,649 4,840
      Narcotics and psychodysleptics [hallucinogens] n.e.c., X42 6,509 43,800 567
      Other and unspecified drugs, medicaments, and biologicals, X43-X44 5,544 51,424 666
      Alcohol, X45 303 940,904 12,188
      Gases and vapours, X46-X47 656 434,594 5,629
      Other and unspecified chemicals and noxious substances, X48-X49 95 3,000,988 38,873
    Overexertion, travel and privation, X50-X57 137 2,080,977 26,956
    Accidental exposure to other and unspecified factors and sequelae, X58-X59, Y86 8,252 34,548 448
  Intentional self-harm, X60-X84, Y87.0, *U03 30,622 9,310 121
    Intentional self-poisoning, X60-X69 5,191 54,921 711
    Intentional self-harm by hanging, strangulation, and suffocation, X70 6,198 45,998 596
    Intentional self-harm by firearm, X72-X74 16,869 16,900 219
    Other and unspecified means and sequelae, X71, X75-X84, Y87.0, *U03 2,364 120,598 1,562
  Assault, X85-Y09, Y87.1, *U01 20,308 14,038 182
    Assault by firearm, X93-X95 11,348 25,123 325
    Assault by sharp object, X99 1,971 144,644 1,874
    Other and unspecified means and sequelae, X85-X92, X96-X98, Y00-Y09, Y87.1, *U01 6,989 40,792 528
  Event of undetermined intent, Y10-Y34, Y87.2, Y89.9 4,198 67,912 880
    Poisoning, Y10-Y19 2,909 98,004 1,269
    Hanging, strangulation, and suffocation, Y20 131 2,176,289 28,190
    Drowning and submersion, Y21 235 1,213,165 15,715
    Firearm discharge, Y22-Y24 231 1,234,172 15,987
    Exposure to smoke, fire, and flames, Y26 76 3,751,234 48,591
    Falling, jumping, or pushed from a high place, Y30 77 3,702,517 47,960
    Other and unspecified means and sequelae, Y25, Y27-Y29, Y31-Y34,Y87.2, Y89.9 539 528,931 6,851
  Legal intervention, Y35, Y89.0 396 719,934 9,326
    Legal intervention involving firearm discharge, Y35.0 323 882,643 11,433
    Legal execution, Y35.5 63 4,525,299 58,618
    Other and unspecified means and sequelae, Y35.1-Y35.4, Y35.6-Y35.7, Y89.0 10 28,509,381 369,293
  Operations of war and sequelae, Y36, Y89.1 17 16,770,224 217,231
  Complications of medical and surgical care and sequelae, Y40-Y84, Y88.0-Y88.3 3,021 94,371 1,222