Odds of Dying

The odds given in the data tree and corresponding table 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, and what kind of work they do, among other factors.

Odds of dying for each data year are calculated using that year’s population and life expectancy. For example, the one-year 2019 odds are approximated by dividing the 2019 U.S. population (328,239,523) by the number of deaths. The lifetime odds are approximated by dividing the one-year odds by the life expectancy of a person born in 2019 (78.8 years). Please note that odds based on less than 20 deaths are likely to be unstable from year to year and are therefore not included in the table or data tree.

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 2019 were 1 in (value given in the one-year odds column).
  • The lifetime odds of dying from (manner of injury) for a person born in 2019 were 1 in (value given in the lifetime odds column).

For example, referring to the fourth line of the table:

  • The odds of dying from a motor-vehicle crash in 2019 were 1 in 8,393.
  • The lifetime odds of dying in a motor-vehicle crash for a person born in 2019 were 1 in 107.
  • Chart
  • Data Table
How to Use Injury Facts® Charts and Tables

Odds of dying due to injury, United States, 2019 (a)

Type of accident or manner of injury Deaths One-year odds Lifetime odds
All external causes of mortality, V01-Y89, *U01, *U03b 251,370 1,306 17
     Deaths due to unintentional (accidental) injuries, V01-X59, Y85-Y86 173,040 1,897 24
          Transport accidents, V01-V99, Y85 41,949 7,825 99
               Motor vehicle accidents, V02-V04, V09.0, V09.2, V12-V14, V19.0-V19.2, V19.4-V19.6, V20-V79, V80.3-V80.5, V81.0-V81.1, V82.0-V82.1, V83-V86,V87.0-V87.8, V88.0-V88.8, V89.0, V89.2 39,107 8,393 107
               Pedestrian, V01-V09 7,668 42,806 543
               Pedalcyclist, V10-V19 1,089 301,414 3,825
               Motorcycle rider, V20-V29 4,635 70,818 899
               Occupant of three-wheeled motor vehicle, V30-V39 14 (c) (c)
               Car occupant, V40-V49 6,589 49,816 632
               Occupant of pick-up truck or van, V50-V59 1,463 224,361 2,847
               Occupant of heavy transport vehicle, V60-V69 371 884,743 11,228
               Bus occupant, V70-V79 27 12,157,019 154,277
               Animal rider or occupant of animal-drawn vehicle, V80 77 4,262,851 54,097
               Occupant of railway train or railway vehicle, V81 6 (c) (c)
               Occupant of streetcar, V82 2 (c) (c)
               Other and unspecified land transport accidents, V83-V89 18,271 17,965 228
                    Occupant of special industrial vehicle, V83 8 (c) (c)
                    Occupant of special agricultural vehicle, V84 119 2,758,315 35,004
                    Occupant of special construction vehicle, V85 38 8,637,882 109,618
                    Occupant of all-terrain or other off-road motor vehicle, V86 1,030 318,679 4,044
                    Other and unspecified person, V87-V89 17,076 19,222 244
               Water transport accidents, V90-V94 490 669,877 8,501
                    Drowning, V90, V92 375 875,305 11,108
                    Other and unspecified injuries, V91, V93-V94 115 2,854,257 36,222
               Air and space transport accidents, V95-V97 441 744,307 9,446
                    Occupant of private or commercial fixed-wing aircraft, V95.2-V95.3 9 (c) (c)
               Other and unspecified transport accidents and sequelae, V98-V99, Y85 806 407,245 5,168
                    Other specified transport accidents, V98 0 (c) (c)
                    Unspecified transport accident, V99 0 (c) (c)
          Nontransport unintentional (accidental) injuries, W00-X59, Y86 131,091 2,504 32
               Falls, W00-W19 39,443 8,322 106
                    Fall on same level from slipping, tripping, and stumbling, W01 793 413,921 5,253
                    Other fall on same level, W00, W02-W03, W18 14,671 22,373 284
                    Fall involving bed, chair, other furniture, W06-W08 1,437 228,420 2,899
                    Fall on and from stairs and steps, W10 2,521 130,202 1,652
                    Fall on and from ladder or scaffolding, W11-W12 563 583,019 7,399
                    Fall from out of or through building or structure, W13 449 597,886 7,587
                    Other fall from one level to another, W09, W14-W17 812 404,236 5,130
                    Other and unspecified fall, W04-W05, W19 18,097 18,138 230
               Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces, W20-W49 2,419 135,692 1,722
                    Struck by or striking against object, W20-W22 865 379,468 4,816
                    Caught between objects, W23 183 1,793,659 22,762
                    Contact with machinery, W24, W30-W31 531 618,154 7,845
                    Contact with sharp objects, W25-W29 142 2,311,546 29,334
                    Firearms discharge, W32-W34 486 675,390 8,571
                    Explosion and rupture of pressurized devices, W35-W38 18 (c) (c)
                    Fireworks discharge, W39 13 (c) (c)
                    Explosion of other materials, W40 112 2,930,710 37,192
                    Foreign body entering through skin or natural orifice, W44-W45 34 9,654,104 122,514
                    Other and unspecified inanimate mechanical forces, W41-W43, W49 34 9,654,104 122,514
               Exposure to animate mechanical forces, W50-W64 174 1,886,434 23,940
                    Struck by or against another person, W50-W52 9 (c) (c)
                    Bitten or struck by dog, W54 48 6,838,323 86,781
                    Bitten or struck by other mammals, W53, W55 88 3,729,995 47,335
                    Bitten or stung by nonvenomous insect and other arthropods, W57 8 (c) (c)
                    Bitten or crushed by other reptiles, W59 0 (c) (c)
                    Other and unspecified animate mechanical forces, W56, W58, W60, W64 21 15,630,453 198,356
               Accidental drowning and submersion, W65-W74 3,692 88,906 1,128
                    Drowning and submersion while in or falling into bath-tub, W65-W66 571 574,850 7,295
                    Drowning and submersion while in or falling into swimming-pool, W67-W68 747 439,410 5,576
                    Drowning and submersion while in or falling into natural water, W69-W70 1,816 180,749 2,294
                    Other and unspecified drowning and submersion, W73-W74 558 588,243 7,465
               Other accidental threats to breathing, W75-W84 7,076 46,388 589
                    Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, W75 1,070 306,766 3,893
                    Other accidental hanging and strangulation, W76 202 1,624,948 20,621
                    Threat to breathing due to cave-in, falling earth and other substances, W77 24 13,676,647 173,562
                    Inhalation of gastric contents, W78 305 1,076,195 13,657
                    Inhalation and ingestion of food causing obstruction of respiratory tract, W79 1,643 199,781 2,535
                    Inhalation and ingestion of other objects causing obstruction of respiratory tract, W80 3,280 100,073 1,270
                    Confined to or trapped in a low-oxygen environment, W81 13 (c) (c)
                    Other and unspecified threats to breathing, W83-W84 539 608,979 7,728
               Exposure to electric current, radiation, temperature, and pressure, W85-W99 311 1,055,433 13,394
                    Electric transmission lines, W85 91 3,607,028 45,774
                    Other and unspecified electric current, W86-W87 205 1,601,168 20,319
                    Radiation, W88-W91 0 (c) (c)
                    Excessive heat or cold of man-made origin, W92-W93 4 (c) (c)
                    High and low air pressure and changes in air pressure, W94 11 (c) (c)
                    Other and unspecified man-made environmental factors, W99 0 (c) (c)
               Exposure to smoke, fire and flames, X00-X09 2,692 121,931 1,547
                    Uncontrolled fire in building or structure, X00 2,215 148,189 1,881
                    Uncontrolled fire not in building or structure, X01 54 6,078,510 77,138
                    Controlled fire in building or structure, X02 20 16,411,976 208,274
                    Controlled fire not in building or structure, X03 47 6,983,820 88,627
                    Ignition of highly flammable material, X04 86 3,816,739 48,436
                    Ignition or melting of nightwear, X05 1 (c) (c)
                    Ignition or melting of other clothing and apparel, X06 72 4,558,882 57,854
                    Other and unspecified smoke fire and flames, X08-X09 197 1,666,190 21,145
               Contact with heat and hot substances, X10-X19 66 4,973,326 63,113
                    Contact with hot tap-water, X11 24 13,676,647 173,562
                    Other and unspecified heat and hot substances, X10, X12-X19 42 7,815,227 99,178
               Contact with venomous animals and plants, X20-X29 105 3,126,091 39,671
                    Contact with venomous snakes and lizards, X20 4 (c) (c)
                    Contact with venomous spiders, X21 2 (c) (c)
                    Contact with hornets, wasps and bees, X23 70 4,689,136 59,507
                    Contact with other and unspecified venomous animal or plant, X22, X24-X29 29 11,318,604 143,637
               Exposure to forces of nature, X30-X39 1,806 181,749 2,306
                    Exposure to excessive natural heat, X30 505 649,979 8,248
                    Exposure to excessive natural cold, X31 1,115 294,385 3,736
                    Lightning, X33 30 10,941,317 138,849
                    Earthquake and other earth movements, X34-X36 32 10,257,485 130,171
                    Cataclysmic storm, X37 71 4,623,092 58,669
                    Flood, X38 34 9,654,104 122,514
                    Exposure to other and unspecified forces of nature, X32, X39 19 (c) (c)
               Accidental poisoning by and exposure to noxious substances, X40-X49 65,773 4,990 63
                    Drug poisoning , X40-X44 62,172 5,280 67
                    Opioids (including both legal and illegal), T40.0-T40.4, T40.6 45,489 7,216 92
                    Alcohol, X45 2,291 143,273 1,818
                    Gases and vapors, X46-X47 1,045 314,105 3,986
                    Other and unspecified chemicals and noxious substances, X48-X49 265 1,238,640 15,719
               Overexertion, travel and privation, X50-X57 37 8,871,338 112,580
               Accidental exposure to other and unspecified factors and sequelae, X58-X59, Y86 7,497 43,783 556
     Intentional self-harm, X60-X84, Y87.0, *U03 47,511 6,909 88
          Intentional self-poisoning, X60-X69 6,125 53,590 680
          Intentional self-harm by hanging, strangulation, and suffocation, X70 13,563 24,201 307
          Intentional self-harm by firearm, X72-X74 23,941 13,710 174
          Other and unspecified means and sequelae, X71, X75-X84, Y87.0 3,882 84,554 1,073
          Terrorism, *U03 0 (c) (c)
     Assault, X85-Y09, Y87.1, *U01 19,141 17,149 218
          Assault by firearm, X93-X95 14,414 22,772 289
          Assault by sharp object, X99 1,702 192,855 2,447
          Other and unspecified means and sequelae, X85-X92, X96-X98, Y00-Y09, Y87.1 3,025 108,509 1,377
          Terrorism, *U01 25 13,129,581 166,619
     Event of undetermined intent, Y10-Y34, Y87.2, Y89.9 5,683 57,758 733
          Poisoning, Y10-Y19 3,736 87,859 1,115
          Hanging, strangulation, and suffocation, Y20 156 2,104,100 26,702
          Drowning and submersion, Y21 300 1,094,132 13,885
          Firearm discharge, Y22-Y24 346 948,669 12,039
          Exposure to smoke, fire, and flames, Y26 163 2,013,739 25,555
          Falling, jumping, or pushed from a high place, Y30 89 3,688,085 46,803
          Other and unspecified means and sequelae, Y25, Y27-Y29, Y31-Y34,Y87.2, Y89.9 893 367,569 4,665
     Legal intervention, Y35, Y89.0 625 503,435 6,389
          Legal intervention involving firearm discharge, Y35.0 520 631,230 8,011
          Legal execution, Y35.5 18 18,235,529 231,415
          Other and unspecified means and sequelae, Y35.1-Y35.4, Y35.6-Y35.7, Y89.0 114 2,879,294 36,539
     Operations of war and sequelae, Y36, Y89.1 14 (c) (c)
     Complications of medical and surgical care and sequelae, Y40-Y84, Y88.0-Y88.3 5,329 61,595 782


(a) Latest official figures.
(b) Numbers following titles refer to external cause of injury and poisoning classifications in ICD-10.
(c) Rates based on less than 20 deaths are likely to be unstable from year to year and are therefore not included.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics.–Mortality Data for 2019 as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Deaths are classified on the basis of the Tenth Revision of “The International Classification of Diseases” (ICD-10), which became effective in 1999.