Deaths by Demographics

The graph below depicts U.S. deaths and death rates per 100,000 population for the six leading causes of unintentional injury-related deaths in 2018 by age, through age 99. Additional years of data are also available (see Using the Charts and Tables).

CAUSES BY RANK

#1: Poisoning

• Average of 19.9 deaths per 100,000 population
• Rate increased steadily from about age 15 to its peak of 41.8 at age 36
• Leading cause of preventable death for all ages, combined, for the sixth consecutive year
• Leading cause of preventable death for every age from 23 to 64
• Largely due to the opioid epidemic affecting millions of people in the United States
• Every day, 118 people die from preventable poisonings due to opioid drugs

 

#2: Motor-vehicle crashes

• Average rate of 12.4 deaths per 100,000 population
• Peaked among persons age 18-25; high of 21.0 at age 21
• Higher secondary peak for older drivers: 26.4 at age 86, followed by 25.4 at age 90, and 24.6 at age 92

 

#3: Falls

• Average rate of 11.2 deaths per 100,000 population
• Beginning at about age 67, the death rate from falls increased dramatically
• Surpassed motor-vehicle fatality rate for the first time at age 68 and remained higher throughout the lifespan, rising steeply with increasing age
• Peaked at age 99, with a rate of 614.8 per 100,000 population

 

#4: Choking

• Average rate of 1.6 deaths per 100,000 population
• Death rates due to choking on inhaled or ingested food or other objects were quite low for most ages
• Rates rose rapidly beginning at about age 79

 

#5: Drowning

• Average rate of 1.1 deaths per 100,000 population
• While relatively stable and low for all ages, the death rates for drowning showed peaks in the first few years of life and again at some very old ages
• Leading cause of preventable death for 2-year-olds

 

#6: Fire, Flames or Smoke

• Average rate of 0.9 deaths per 100,000 population
• Slightly elevated at very young ages; climbing at about age 75