| Cause of death |
Number of deaths, 2007 |
One-year odds |
Lifetime odds |
| All motor vehicle accidents |
43,945 |
6,856 |
88 |
| Car accidents |
12,772 |
23,590 |
303 |
| Motorcycle accidents |
5,024 |
59,970 |
770 |
| Assault by firearm |
12,632 |
23,851 |
306 |
| Fall on and from stairs and steps |
1,917 |
157,168 |
2,018 |
Drowning and submersion while in or
falling into swimming pool |
705 |
427,362 |
5,486 |
| Firearms discharge (accidental) |
613 |
491,501 |
6,309 |
| Air and space transport accidents |
550 |
547,801 |
7,032 |
| Fall on and from ladder or scaffolding |
434 |
694,217 |
8,912 |
| Exposure to smoke, fire and flames |
98 |
3,074,391 |
39,466 |
| Cataclysmic storm (2) |
84 |
3,586,790 |
46,044 |
| Lightning |
46 |
6,549,790 |
84,079 |
| Bitten or struck by dog |
32 |
9,415,323 |
120,864 |
| Earthquake and other earth movements |
26 |
11,588,090 |
148,756 |
| Flood |
22 |
13,695,015 |
175,803 |
(1) Based on fatalities and life expectancy in 2007. Ranked by deaths in 2007.
(2) Includes hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, dust storms and other cataclysmic storms.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics; National Safety Council. |