Annual Risk of Dying in the U.S.

Risk Comparisons:
Annual Risk of Dying in the U.S. per Million Persons at Risk

Cause Deaths

Death per
1,000,000/year
Heart disease 2800
All cancers 2050
Parachutist 2000
Fire fighter; Hang glider 800
Lung cancer 590
Pneumonia 320
Diabetes; Police officer 230
Motor vehicle accidents; Breast cancer 160
Homicide 80
Falls 50
Foodborne bacteria 36
Accidental poisoning (drugs and medication) 30
Fires and burns; Drowning 15
Tuberculosis; Firearms 5
Choking, inhalation or ingestion of foreign object/food 4
Electric current; Railway 2
Airline crash (one trip) 0.6
Floods 0.4
Lightning; Insect bite or sting 0.2
Hit by falling aircraft 0.06
Hurricane 0.04

Sources: 1997 US Statistical Abstract; National Safety Council (1995), Accident Facts; Crouch & Wilson (1982), Risk/Benefit Analysis.

Risk analogies

A risk of 1 in 1,000,000 is about equal to:

  • the chance of flipping a coin and getting 20 heads in 20 consecutive tries.
  • the chance of rolling a dice and getting 7 sixes in 7 consecutive rolls.
  • the chance of dying from taking 1 flight on a regularly scheduled jet airliner.
  • 30 seconds in a year.
  • less than ½ inch in a mile.
A risk of 1 in 100,000 is about equal to:
  • the chance of flipping a coin and getting 16 heads in 16 consecutive tries.
  • the chance of rolling a dice and getting 6 sixes in 6 consecutive rolls.
  • the chance of dying from taking 10 flights on regularly scheduled jet airliners.
  • 5 minutes in a year.
  • ½ inch in a mile.
A risk of 1 in 10,000 is about equal to:
  • the chance of flipping a coin and getting 13 heads in 13 consecutive tries.
  • the chance of rolling a dice and getting 5 sixes in 5 consecutive rolls.
  • the chance of dying from taking 100 flights on regularly scheduled jet airliners.
  • 53 minutes in a year.
  • 6 inches in a mile.

CAUSES OF DEATH, USA, 2002

FORMAL NAME

INFORMAL NAME

% ALL DEATHS

(1) Diseases of the heart heart attack (mainly) 28.5%
(2) Malignant neoplasms cancer 22.8%
(3) Cerebrovascular disease stroke 6.7%
(4) Chronic lower respiratory disease emphysema, chronic bronchitis 5.1%
(5) Unintentional injuries accidents 4.4%
(6) Diabetes mellitus diabetes 3.0%
(7) Influenza and pneumonia flu & pneumonia 2.7%
(8) Alzheimer's Disease Alzheimer's senility 2.4%
(9) Nephritis and Nephrosis kidney disease 1.7%
(10) Septicemia systemic infection 1.4%
(11) Intentional self-harm suicide 1.3%
(12) Chronic Liver/Cirrhosis liver disease 1.1%
(13) Essential Hypertension high blood pressure 0.8%
(14) Assault homicide 0.7%
(15) All other causes other 17.4%

Source: http://ific.org © 2005 International Food Information Council Foundation

[Source: National Vital Statistics Report, Volume 53, Number 5 (October 2004)]
(Death: Final Data for 2002)
(For breakdowns by age, see Leading Causes of Death in the United States)