ACCIDENTAL DEATHS ON THE RISE

Volume 28, Issue 504 November 26, 2007

Matthew Gever

The rate of deaths from unintentional injury increased by 7 percent from 1999 to 2004, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total rate of all accidental deaths rose from 35.3 per 100,000 population in 1999, to 37.7 in 2004, with much of the increase attributed to unintentional poisoning deaths, of which 94.7 percent were drug related.

Overall, traffic fatalities killed the most Americans—about 256,000—accounting for 41 percent of all accidental deaths. Poisoning was the next most common accident, followed by falls and suffocation. New Mexico has the highest rates of accidental deaths, while Massachusetts has the lowest.

The largest increases in poisonings (nearly all drug related) were among females, whites, persons living in the southern United States, and persons aged 15 years to 24 years. Larger increases in poisoning deaths occurred in states with mostly rural populations.

The CDC has specific recommendations for states to reduce injury deaths. They recommended all states adopt mandatory seat-belt laws, currently in place in 21 states. Additionally, the CDC found that only 12 states have state-wide injury prevention programs. Adding and strengthening these programs could help reduce the number of accidents and fatalities, the CDC says.

State Mortality Data