State Overview

Since 2013, poisoning has been the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. In 2021, motor-vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of preventable death, followed by fall deaths. Choking continues to be the fourth leading cause of preventable injury death. The prevalence of poisoning deaths nationally is being driven by the opioid drug overdose epidemic, while fall deaths are predominantly among individuals 65 and older. However, as shown below, the ranking of preventable death causes does vary by state.

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Death rates by state of residence for preventable injuries can vary greatly from one type of injury to the next and from state to state. For each state, this chart shows the population death rates (per 100,000 population) for total preventable injury-related deaths and the four leading types of preventable injury-related deaths nationally: poisoningmotor-vehicle crashes,  falls, and choking.

  • Chart
  • Data Table

(a) Suffocation by ingestion or inhalation of food or other objects.

Source: National Safety Council (NSC) analysis of National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) mortality data, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program.