What Odds Are You Comfortable With?

  

        For those of you who wonder just how safe you will be once you've given up all of your Constitutional freedoms and rights, it may be a valuable exercise to see what the odds are that you, personally, will die in one of these terrorist attacks now so often alluded to by Rumsfeld and Ashcroft and their little puppet, the moron.

    Using the odds of dying a terrorist related attack during your lifetime as noted below from the CDC, let's compare them to the odds of dying from a long list of real, everyday dangers.

    1 in 88,000 of a terrorist attack
    1 in 1,500,00 of a terrorist-caused shopping mall disaster assuming one such incident a week and you shop two hours a week
    1 in 55,000,000 in a terrorist-caused plane disaster assuming one such incident a month and you fly once a month ( 1 )
 

    1 in 55,928 of death by lightening   
    1 in 20,605 in your clothes igniting
    1 in 10,455 of dying in your bathtub
    1 in 10,010 by falling from a ladder or scaffolding
    1 in 9,396 due to excessive heat
    1 in 8,389 due to excessive cold
    1 in 7,972 in a drowning accident
    1 in 6,842 in a railway accident.

    Using odds of dying in a way that Americans can relate to, let's compare the above numbers to the odds of dying during your lifetime to homicide from various forms of weapons.

    1 in 197 of dying in a homicide
    1 in 299 of dying in an assault from a firearm
    1 in 5,330 of dying in an assault by hanging or strangulation
    1 in 207,261 in operations of war.
 

    Now, the question that every American must ask themselves is this; am I willing to give up my Constitutional freedoms in hopes of avoiding death by lightening, which is 983 times more likely than dying because a terrorists crashes an airplane?  Are you willing to live in a Republican/Nazi police state in hopes that you don't die from your clothes catching fire (2669 times more likely) or falling in your bathtub (5261 times more likely)?  Are you seriously asking this regime to protect you from being strangled or hanged when the odds of that happening is 10318 times more probable than dying in a terrorist-caused attack?  Are you, at your very core, comfortable with the idea of leaving to your children a world in which Republicans/Nazis/fascists control all American's everyday life?

    Personally, I'd far rather take my chances with terrorists and attempt to minimize even that danger by forcing America to ignore the shrill and inhuman voices from the right and to move this nation towards a future in which we share the planet will all of its inhabitants.  For myself, I'd rather keep my rights and freedoms and extend them to all of mankind.  For my children, I would far rather spend my time improving the lot of all than living in fear that my selfish and greedy lifestyle is putting me in danger of dying at the hands of those who my nation has deeply harmed.

    Folks, we can change those odds from an everyday fear to one of astronomical proportions through the simple act of behaving decently toward the rest of the world rather than treating them as inconvenient obstacles to the satiation our greater materialism and egocentricity.  It is not the well-fed of the world, nor the content citizens of the world that so happily offer up their lives in the process of killing more and more "infidels".  By offering the world's poorest the opportunity to obtain the necessary food and health and safety that we take for granted, we eliminate the hatred and envy and disgust that far too many people feel towards this nation.

    We can make the world a better place but we will never do so as long as any Republican or Democrat rules this nation.  The two major parties will never again represent real human beings because their members are completely, utterly, and forever bought and sold by the wealthy and by Corporate America.  Only through the revolutionary process of bringing independent and wise leaders into power can we ever move away from the vile and sick place that these two parties so love.  Only through the complete elimination of bribery can we ever see any hope for this world.  Only when America once again belongs to real human beings will we take those odds and change them in favor of a world filled with health, prosperity, and contentment.

    Fat chance!
 
National Safety Council NSC Home > Research & Statistics > What are the Odds of Dying?
Safety, Health and Environmental Resources
What Are the Odds of Dying?

 

The table below was prepared in response to frequent inquiries, especially from the media, asking, "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. 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 1998 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 1998 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 1998 were 1 in 1,796.
  • The lifetime odds of dying from an injury for a person born in 1998 were 1 in 23.

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 Ninth Revision of "The International Classification of Diseases" (ICD). Numbers following titles refer to External Cause of Injury and Poisoning classifications in the ICD. One year odds are approximated by dividing the 1998 population (270,248,000) by the number of deaths. Lifetime odds are approximated by dividing the one-year odds by the life expectancy of a person born in 1998 (76.7 years).

 

Odds of Death Due to Injury, United States, 1998

Note: Lines enclosed in brackets, "[...]", are combinations of two or more lines shown elsewhere.

 

Type of Accident or Manner of Injury

Deaths, 1998

One year odds

Lifetime Odds

TOTAL DEATHS DUE TO INJURIES

150,445

1,796

23

All Accidental Deaths

97,835

2,762

36

Transport Accidents

45,774

5,904

77

Railway

515

524,753

6,842

Motor-vehicle

43,501

6,212

81

Other road vehicle

235

1,149,991

14,993

Water transport

692

390,532

5,092

Drowning (excluded from drowning below)

442

611,421

7,972

Other water transport

250

1,080,992

14,094

Air and space transport

692

390,532

5,092

Vehicle accidents not elsewhere classifiable

139

1,944,230

25,349

Poisoning by solids and liquids

10,255

26,353

344

Drugs, medicaments and biologicals

9,838

27,470

358

Analgesics, antipyretics, and antirheumatics

3,141

86,039

1,122

Barbiturates

16

16,890,500

220,215

Other sedatives and hypnotics

8

33,781,000

440,430

Tranquilizers

107

2,525,682

32,929

Other psychotropic agents

334

809,126

10,549

Other drugs acting on central and autonomic nervous system

1,540

175,486

2,288

Antibiotics

39

6,929,436

90,345

Anti-infectives

4

67,562,000

880,860

Other drugs

4,649

58,130

758

Poisoning by other solids and liquids

417

648,077

8,450

Alcohol

300

900,827

11,745

Cleansing, polishing agents, disinfectants, paints, varnishes

10

27,024,800

352,344

Petroleum products, other solvents and their vapors

37

7,304,000

95,228

Agricultural, horticultural chemical, pharmaceutical preparations

8

33,781,000

440,430

Corrosives and caustics

5

54,049,600

704,688

Foodstuffs and poisonous plants

3

90,082,667

1,174,481

Other and unspecified solids and liquids

54

5,004,593

65,249

Poisoning by gases and vapors

546

494,960

6,453

Gas distributed by pipeline

15

18,016,533

234,896

Other utility gas and other carbon monoxide

444

608,667

7,936

Motor-vehicle exhaust gas

190

1,422,358

18,544

Others, not motor-vehicle exhaust gas

254

1,063,969

13,872

Other gases and vapors

87

3,106,299

40,499

Complications, misadventures of surgical, medical care

3,228

83,720

1,092

Falls

16,274

16,606

217

Fall on or from stairs or steps

1,389

194,563

2,537

Fall on or from ladders or scaffolding

352

767,750

10,010

Fall from or out of building or other structure

550

491,360

6,406

Fall into hole or other opening in surface

95

2,844,716

37,089

Other fall from one level to another

1,187

227,673

2,968

Fall on same level from slipping, tripping, or stumbling

740

365,200

4,761

Fall on same level from collision, pushing, or shoving

6

45,041,333

587,240

Fracture, cause unspecified

3,679

73,457

958

Other and unspecified fall

8,276

32,654

426

Fire and flames

3,255

83,025

1,082

Conflagration

2,687

100,576

1,311

Ignition of clothing

171

1,580,398

20,605

Ignition of highly inflammable material

55

4,913,600

64,063

Other and unspecified fire and flames

342

790,199

10,302

Natural and environmental factors

1,521

177,678

2,317

Excessive heat

375

720,661

9,396

Excessive cold

420

643,448

8,389

Hunger, thirst, exposure, and neglect

252

1,072,413

13,982

Poisoning by and toxic reaction to venomous animals, plants

64

4,222,625

55,054

Venomous snakes, lizards, and spiders

5

54,049,600

704,688

Hornets, wasps, and bees

46

5,874,957

76,597

Other and unspecified animals, plants

13

20,788,308

271,034

Other injury caused by animals

93

2,905,892

37,886

Dog bite

15

18,016,533

234,896

Other and unspecified injury by animal

78

3,464,718

45,172

Lightning

63

4,289,651

55,928

Cataclysmic storms, and floods resulting from storms

204

1,324,745

17,272

Cataclysmic earth surface movements and eruptions

24

11,260,333

146,810

Other natural and environmental factors

26

10,394,154

135,517

Other accidents

15,801

17,103

223

Drowning, submersion (excluding water transport drownings above)

3,964

68,176

889

During sport or recreation

685

394,523

5,144

In bathtub

337

801,923

10,455

Other, unspecified drowning, submersion

2,942

91,859

1,198

Inhalation and ingestion of food

1,147

235,613

3,072

Inhalation and ingestion of other object

2,368

114,125

1,488

Mechanical suffocation

1,070

252,568

3,293

In bed or cradle

247

1,094,121

14,265

By plastic bag

27

10,009,185

130,498

Due to lack of air (in refrigerator, other enclosed space)

13

20,788,308

271,034

By falling earth (noncataclysmic cave-in)

55

4,913,600

64,063

Other and unspecified mechanical suffocation

728

371,220

4,840

Struck by falling object

723

373,787

4,873

Struck against or by objects or persons

336

804,310

10,486

Caught in or between objects

118

2,290,237

29,860

Machinery

1,018

265,470

3,461

Agricultural machines

567

476,628

6,214

Lifting machines and appliances

114

2,370,596

30,907

Earth moving, scraping, and other excavating machines

79

3,420,861

44,601

Other, unspecified machinery

258

1,047,473

13,657

Cutting or piercing instruments or objects

121

2,233,455

29,119

Firearm missile

866

312,065

4,069

Handgun

140

1,930,343

25,167

Shotgun (automatic)

87

3,106,299

40,499

Hunting rifle

50

5,404,960

70,469

Other and unspecified firearm missile

589

458,825

5,982

Explosive material

155

1,743,535

22,732

Fireworks

13

20,788,308

271,034

Explosive gases

60

4,504,133

58,724

Other and unspecified explosive material

82

3,295,707

42,969

Hot substance or object, corrosive material and steam

108

2,502,296

32,624

Electric current

548

493,153

6,430

Domestic wiring and appliances

59

4,580,475

59,719

Generating plants, distribution stations, transmission lines

144

1,876,722

24,468

Industrial wiring, appliances, and electrical machinery

27

10,009,185

130,498

Other and unspecified electric current

318

849,836

11,080

Radiation

 

 

-

Other and unspecified

3,259

82,924

1,081

Late effects (deaths more than one year after accident)

905

298,617

3,893

Adverse effects of drugs in therapeutic use

276

979,159

12,766

All Suicide Deaths

30,575

8,839

115

Poisoning by solid and liquid

3,346

80,767

1,053

Poisoning by gases and vapors

1,726

156,575

2,041

Motor-vehicle exhaust gas

1,329

203,347

2,651

Other and unspecified gases and vapors

397

680,725

8,875

Hanging, strangulation, and suffocation

5,726

47,197

615

Drowning

375

720,661

9,396

Firearms

17,424

15,510

202

Handgun

3,541

76,320

995

Shotgun

2,303

117,346

1,530

Hunting rifle

849

318,313

4,150

Other and unspecified firearm

10,731

25,184

328

Cutting and piercing instruments

476

567,748

7,402

Jumping from high places

621

435,182

5,674

Other, unspecified suicide and late effects

881

306,751

3,999

 

 

 

 

All Homicide Deaths

17,893

15,104

197

Assault by hanging and strangulation

661

408,847

5,330

Assault by firearm

11,798

22,906

299

Handgun

1,047

258,117

3,365

Shotgun

747

361,778

4,717

Hunting rifle

141

1,916,652

24,989

Other and unspecified firearm

9,863

27,400

357

Assault by cutting and piercing instrument

2,087

129,491

1,688

Child battering and other maltreatment

194

1,393,031

18,162

Other, unspecified assault and late effects

3,153

85,711

1,117

Legal Intervention

379

713,055

9,297

Undetermined Whether Accidentally or Purposely Inflicted

3,746

72,143

941

Poisoning by solid and liquid

2,351

114,950

1,499

Poisoning by gases and vapors

82

3,295,707

42,969

Motor-vehicle exhaust gas

42

6,434,476

83,891

Other and unspecified gases and vapors

40

6,756,200

88,086

Drowning

249

1,085,333

14,150

Firearms

316

855,215

11,150

Other, unspecified undetermined deaths and late effects

748

361,294

4,710

Deaths From Operations of War,

17

15,896,941

207,261

 

 

Send an e-mail to rssdept@nsc.org with questions or for additional information.

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