OK, I´m in Buenos Aires
I have no excuse now not to write. Tomorrow, I will. But for now, very interesting statistics about odds for how we´ll die, excluding the possibility of a flu pandemic or a major war.
Especially surprised by the number of suicide deaths: one of every 121 people alive in the US right now will die by their own hands. Considering that everyone knows more than 121 people, everyone will have known someone who killed themselves. Or, since these are statistics, the probability of going through life never having met a person who committed suicide is very small. As for knowing them well, and knowing them at the time of their suicidal tendencies, that´s a different case.
(¨The more specific figures are based on 2001, the most recent year for which complete data are available. Other odds, indicated with an asterisk (*) are based on long-term data.¨)
Cause of Death Lifetime Odds
Heart Disease
1-in-5
Cancer
1-in-7
Stroke
1-in-23
Accidental Injury
1-in-36
Motor Vehicle Accident*
1-in-100
Intentional Self-harm (suicide)
1-in-121
Falling Down
1-in-246
Assault by Firearm
1-in-325
Fire or Smoke
1-in-1,116
Natural Forces (heat, cold, storms, quakes, etc.)
1-in-3,357
Electrocution*
1-in-5,000
Drowning
1-in-8,942
Air Travel Accident*
1-in-20,000
Flood* (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-30,000
Legal Execution
1-in-58,618
Tornado* (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-60,000
Lightning Strike (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-83,930
Snake, Bee or other Venomous Bite or Sting*
1-in-100,000
Earthquake (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-131,890
Dog Attack
1-in-147,717
Asteroid Impact*
1-in-200,000**
Tsunami* 1-in-500,000
Fireworks Discharge
1-in-615,488
** Perhaps 1-in-500,000
Especially surprised by the number of suicide deaths: one of every 121 people alive in the US right now will die by their own hands. Considering that everyone knows more than 121 people, everyone will have known someone who killed themselves. Or, since these are statistics, the probability of going through life never having met a person who committed suicide is very small. As for knowing them well, and knowing them at the time of their suicidal tendencies, that´s a different case.
(¨The more specific figures are based on 2001, the most recent year for which complete data are available. Other odds, indicated with an asterisk (*) are based on long-term data.¨)
Cause of Death Lifetime Odds
Heart Disease
1-in-5
Cancer
1-in-7
Stroke
1-in-23
Accidental Injury
1-in-36
Motor Vehicle Accident*
1-in-100
Intentional Self-harm (suicide)
1-in-121
Falling Down
1-in-246
Assault by Firearm
1-in-325
Fire or Smoke
1-in-1,116
Natural Forces (heat, cold, storms, quakes, etc.)
1-in-3,357
Electrocution*
1-in-5,000
Drowning
1-in-8,942
Air Travel Accident*
1-in-20,000
Flood* (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-30,000
Legal Execution
1-in-58,618
Tornado* (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-60,000
Lightning Strike (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-83,930
Snake, Bee or other Venomous Bite or Sting*
1-in-100,000
Earthquake (included also in Natural Forces above)
1-in-131,890
Dog Attack
1-in-147,717
Asteroid Impact*
1-in-200,000**
Tsunami* 1-in-500,000
Fireworks Discharge
1-in-615,488
** Perhaps 1-in-500,000