What Are the Odds of Dying?The table below was prepared in response to frequent inquiries, especially from the media, asking questions such as, “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 in 1999 (the latest year for which data are available). 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 1999 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 1999 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 1999 were 1 in 1,805.
• The lifetime odds of dying from an injury for a person born in 1999 were 1 in 24.

The odds given below are statistical averages over the whole U.S. population and do not necessarily reflect the chances of death for a particular person from a particular external cause. Any individual’s odds of dying from various external causes are affected by the activities in which they participate, where they live and drive, what kind of work they do, and other factors.

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 Tenth Revision of the World Health Organization’s “The International Classification of Diseases” (ICD). Numbers following titles refer to External Cause of Morbidity and Mortality classifications in ICD-10. One year odds are approximated by dividing the 1999 population (272,820,000) by the number of deaths. Lifetime odds are approximated by dividing the one-year odds by the life expectancy of a person born in 1999 (76.7 years).

 

Odds of Death Due to Injury, United States, 1999 Here is a sample of the list.  The entire list is massive.  Go here to see it all.

TYPE OF ACCIDENT OR MANNER OF INJURY	DEATHS, 1999	ONE YEAR ODDS	LIFETIME ODDS
All External Causes of Mortality, V01-Y98	151,109	1,805	24
Deaths Due to Unintentional (Accidental) Injuries, V01-X59, Y85-Y86	97,860	2,788	36
Transport Accidents, V01-V99, Y85	46,423	5,877	77
Pedestrian, V01-V09	6,047	45,117	588
Pedalcyclist, V10-V19	800	341,025	4,446
Motorcycle rider, V20-V29	2,316	117,798	1,536
Occupant of three-wheeled motor vehicle, V30-V39	33	8,267,273	107,787
Car occupant, V40-V49	14,549	18,752	244
Occupant of pick-up truck or van, V50-V59	3,133	87,079	1,135