When performing everyday tasks, we don't often think of the odds of dying due to various injuries but each year people die from tragic accidents and injuries that occur during normal everyday living. Because the odds of death of various injuries is a common question, statistics have been compiled and research has been done to obtain this information. According to the National Safety Council, in 2005 the odds of death due to injury were 1 in 1,681. While many of the following accidents and injuries are not all that common it is important to take necessary safety precautions when performing everyday tasks in order to ensure your health and safety and the health and safety of those around you. If you or someone you know has ever suffered one of the following injuries, it might be a good idea to speak to an accident attorney.
| Type of Accident/Injury |
Approx. Number of Deaths Per Year |
Approx. Odds of Death for One Year |
| Pedestrian |
6000 |
1 in 48,000 |
| Car Occupant |
14500 |
1 in 20,000 |
| Bus Occupant |
50 |
1 in 5,000,000 |
| Falls |
19600 |
1 in 15,000 |
| Contact with Machinery |
750 |
1 in 390,000 |
| Firearms Discharge |
780 |
1 in 375,000 |
| Fireworks Discharge |
4 |
1 in 74,000,000 |
| Dog Bite |
30 |
1 in 8,985,000 |
| Drowning (Swimming Pool) |
600 |
1 in 480,000 |
| Drowning (Natural Water) |
1600 |
1 in 180,000 |
| Exposure to Smoke/Fire |
3000 |
1 in 92,500 |
| Contact with Venomous Animals/Plants |
105 |
1 in 2,800,000 |
| Alcohol |
345 |
1 in 850,000 |
| Firearm Assault |
12000 |
1 in 24,000 |
| Medical Care Complications |
2500 |
1 in 110,000 |
| Lightning |
45 |
1 in 6,150,000 |
| Air/Space Transport |
590 |
1 in 500,000 |
| Water Transport |
520 |
1 in 550,000 |
| Motorcycle Rider |
4000 |
1 in 67,500 |
Odds of Dying – information from the National Safety Council on the odds of dying due to certain injuries (most recent data is from 2005)
Injury Related Infant Deaths – information on the impact of race and birth weight on injury related infant deaths
Personal Injury Attorney – information and resources on personal injury attorneys
Probability of Death – information from the New England Journal of Medicine on the probability of death from various burn injuries
Injury Control – the Injury Control Research Center and West Virginia University
The Odds of Death – an article on the odds of dying from an accidental injury as well as a major catastrophe