Accidental deaths include many kinds of deaths, from those involving auto accidents as a result of a person’s distraction to slipping and falling on ice in a parking lot. Each year, these deaths are tallied and tracked, and now it’s clear that some kinds of accidents are much more common than others.
The number of accidental deaths have reached an all-time high in the United States, according to a June 13 report. While many of these accidental deaths are caused by falls or drug overdoses, fatal car accidents and other accidents can also be blamed. Combined, these causes of death have soared in recent years, reaching higher levels than ever. This could be due to an expanding population, changing demographics and numerous other factors.
How serious are accidental deaths in the United States overall? They result in around 614,000 deaths each year, making accidental deaths the fourth-highest cause of death behind heart disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease. These accidents cause more deaths than diabetes, murders or other causes of fatal injuries.
For those between the ages of 5 and 14, vehicular crashes are the leading cause of accidental deaths, according to the news report. That’s not the same for others; in fact, falls are the most common cause of accidental deaths for the elderly and those ages 65 and up, while poisonings and drug overdoses are the most common cause for those between their mid-20s through mid-60s.
Interestingly, while drug-related causes of death have been on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accidental deaths by traffic crashes have dropped.
Source: Science World Report, “Accidental Deaths Reached A Record High In The US,” Elaine Hannah, June 13, 2016
