What Are the Causes of Fatal Accidents?

Accidents are the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., after heart disease, cancer, strokes and lower respiratory diseases. In 2008, 118,000 Americans died from unintentional injuries caused by crashes, according to The National Safety Council's (NSC) latest statistics. This was down two and a half percent from the previous year. Motor vehicle accidents (MVA's) are consistently the leading cause of accidental death. Poisoning, falls, drowning, and deaths caused by a fire are other leading causes of fatal accidents.

MVA's

• Motor vehicle accidents consistently rate as the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S, according to the NSC. Latest available statistics, for 2008, indicate 35 percent of all accidental deaths were the result of MVA's. A further two percent were the result of an MVA while at work. Leading causes of MVA deaths are speeding, drunk driving, driver distraction and driver fatigue. Not wearing a seat belt greatly increases the risk of an accident being fatal. Fatalities are particularly common in the 15 to 24 age group.

Poisoning

• Deaths from accidental poisoning have been increasing, based on 2010 information from the NSC. Overdoses from over-the-counter, prescription and illicit drugs are the most common type of poisoning death. The group incidents have affected the most is Caucasian women. The NSC warned in a press release in 2007 that poisoning death rates among that group had risen more than 300 percent over a decade.

Falls/Choking/Drowning

• Deaths from falls are the third leading cause of accidental death among Americans, followed by choking and drowning. In 2005 16.3 percent of all accidental deaths were caused by falls. The NSC states you have a one-in-184 chance of dying from a fall. That compares to only a 1-in-1,073 chance of drowning and one-in-six chance of dying of heart disease, America's leading cause of death. All together, the top five causes account for approximately 83 percent of all accidental deaths.

Fire Deaths

• While death by drowning is the fifth leading cause of death nationally, the NSC statistics indicate most states ranked fire as the fifth leading cause. Approximately 40 percent of all fire victims die while still asleep.

Other Causes

• Other causes of accidental death include acts of nature, such as flooding, earthquakes or lightning, accidental firearms discharge, bicycle, motorcycle, pedestrian or air accidents, contact with bees, hornets or wasps, exposure to excessive natural heat, electrocution or dog bites.