Top 9 Causes of Accidental Death
July 22, 2010admin No Comments »Data from National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 50, No. 15, Sept 16, 2002.
In 2000, the 9 top causes of accidental death were:
- Motor Vehicle Crashes – 43,354
- Unspecified NonTransport Accidents – 17,437
- Falls – 13,322
- Poison & Noxious Substances – 12,757
- Drowning – 3,842
- Exposure to Smoke, Fire, or Flames – 3,377
- Complications of Medical/Surgical Care – 3,059
- Other Land Transport Accidents – 1,492
- Accidental Discharge of Firearms – 776
There are currently around 255 (were around 225MM in 2000) Million registered vehicles in the US (stat found here), while there are around 300 Million privately owned guns in the US. However, we see that at the time of this report an average person was nearly 56 times more likely to be accidentally killed in a vehicle crash than they were by an accidental shooting.
Many of these accidental deaths, no matter the cause, were usually preventable with simple safety precautions, training and competency. Even though people are rarely worried about being killed in a wreck on the way to the movie theater or when heading out for a bite to eat, they will often be terrified of owning or being near a gun. Perhaps they fear that the gun will just “go off” all of a sudden?
Remember, 300 million guns owned in the United States, and 776 accidental shootings. The type of people that accidentally discharge firearms or allow children to accidentally discharge firearms are the same type of people that leave rat poison on the floor for the children and pets to eat. They are the same people that leave shredders on the floor for the children and pets to get their hands and tongues stuck in. These are the people that drive with a car seat facing forward in the front seat. Guns are not what is dangerous in these circumstances, it is the people! They can allow or cause death with just about anything, from poison, to knives, drowning, or fire.
If you are driving a car, be safe with yourself and your children: wear your seat belt and use a child restraint properly.
Inspect your home to make sure you have not left on the ground (or within reach of a child) an operating shredder, knives, guns, poison, or a tub full of water! Evaluate your home for safety and you will cut down on most or all of these accidents.
To say that guns kill people (without qualifying information) is to say that tubs drown people, matches commit arson, and cars drive drunk. Most things occur because of the intent or negligence (possibly the inability) of the person, not because of the object utilized during the act.
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