Odds of dying equal one.

But the odds of how we die are far more fun.
That's why this graphic representation that depicts the odds of us dying from one thing (like a plane crash) or another (fireworks discharge: 1 in 340,733)) is so damn interesting.

Some sobering surprises include legal execution sandwhiched between lightning and hornet, wasp, or bee stings. And that the odds of dying from a firearm discharge are higher than getting run over. Scary stuff. But a valuable reality check nonetheless.

UPDATE: Sorry folks. I didn't just pull this out of my ass and here's why: this image originally appeared in the Aug 2006 issue of National Geographic. It, as well as further stats on the various "ways to go", can be found at the National Safety Council here.

Comments

[Kristin]

Wow, motor vehicle accidents are the worst killers after heart disease, strokes and cancer! Why, oh why, do we let these killer cars on the road?!?

[Melanie]

I imagine that these statistics apply to those living in North America and Europe?

Where is the graph from?

[John Hunter]

The image is for the USA I believe. It is also a bit puzzling. I believe they just left off some causes of death, which is fine, but a bit confusing when it isn't clearly labeled as doing so.

USA CDC’s report on the leading causes of death in the USA in 2004: Heart Disease 27%, Cancer 23%, Strokes 6%, Chronic lower respiratory diseases (emphysema…) 5%, accidents 4.5%, Diabetes 3%, Alzheimer’s 2.7%, Influenza and pneumonia 2.5%
http://engineering.curiouscatblog.net/2007/02/19/leading-causes-of-death/

It is also odd why there is such a discrepancy from this data.

[TinMan]

I do not see a discrepancy in the data. On page 18 of the 50-page National Vital Statistics Report PDF, there were 109,277 mortalities from accidents (unintentional injuries) in 2003. That's the same number that the NSC report.

Note that the NSC's page does not report on illnesses, just on external causes of death.

The National Vital Statistics Report shows 685,089 deaths from heart disease in 2003. That is certainly within the ballpark of 6x more fatalities from heart disease versus accidents.

[MT]

Still seems like the odds you pulled it from your ass were up there.