How Americans Die

This page contains some miscellaneous stats on how Americans die, and other subjects.

Tobacco smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the U.S. In 1988, an estimated 434,175 premature deaths were attributed to smoking tobacco.

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U.S. emergency room drug abuse episodes, 1988-1990.

Drug 1988 1989 1990
Total episodes * 416,962 425,904 371,208
With Alcohol 120,117 125,861 115,162
Cocaine 104,732 110,013 80,255
Heroin/morphine 39,026 41,656 33,884
Aspirin 23,570 23,435 19,188
Marijuana/hashish 20,708 20,703 15,706
Methamphetamine 9,345 8,722 5,236
PCP/PCP combinations 12,966 8,042 4,408

Note: Figures are estimates. * Total includes legal and illegal.

Source: U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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Estimated number of injuries in U.S., selected products, 1991

Product Est. injuries Product Est. injuries
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Stairs/steps 1,004,427 Jewelry 46,027
Bicycles, etc. 600,649 Chainsaws 44,019
Knives 448,524 Razors, shavers 43,604
Tables 335,623 Bunk beds 42,969
Chairs 292,340 Hot water 41,104
Nails, screws, etc. 241,859 Trampolines 38,823
Bathtubs, showers 139,434 Sleds 33,562
Drinking glasses 134,830 Paper money, coins 31,796
Ladders 134,341 Television 31,479
Fences, fence posts 122,111 Pens, pencils 31,330
Drugs [legal and not] 113,511 << Scissors 30,823
Bottles, jars 105,840 Contact lenses 27,545
Metal containers 96,353 Rerigerators 26,680
Carpets, rugs 87,979 Pins, needles 23,345
Footwear 83,369 Gasoline 18,112
Lawn mowers 74,700 Irons 17,326
Skateboards 56,435 Telephones, etc. 16,004
Sinks, toilets 55,472 Baby strollers 14,900
Hammers 50,036

Estimates based on patient reported causes of injury.

Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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Accidental deaths and death rates by nation, 1988-1989

Nation Year reported Accidental deaths rate per 100,000 pop.
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Australia 1988 5,751 34.8
Canada 1988 9,152 35.3
Cuba 1988 8,278 81.5
England/Wales 1989 11,529 22.8
Netherlands 1988 3,464 23.5
United States 1988 97,100 39.5

Source: World Health Organization

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Types of accidental deaths, U.S., 1990

Type Number of deaths

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Total 93,500

Motor vehicle 46,300

Falls 12,400

Poisoning by solids and liquids * 5,700

Drowning 5,200

Fires and burns 4,300

Suffocation 3,200

Firearms 1,400

Poisoning by gases 800

Other 14,200

* Deaths from poisons, drugs (legal and not), medicines, mushrooms,

and shellfish.

Source: National Safety Council.