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Top 10 Least Likely Ways of Dying

by Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT
for About.com

Created: June 21, 2007

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

The various causes of death are combined with the person's odds of dying from a particular cause to determine the least likely way a person may die during his or her lifetime.

The list is arranged in descending order starting with the least likely way of dying followed by the next least likely and so on increasing the odds of dying.

This data on the least likely ways of dying is from the National Safety Council's Odds of Dying statistics.

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1. Fireworks Discharge

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 340,733

2. Flood

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 144,156

3. Earthquake

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 117,127

4. Lightning

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 79,746

5. Legal Execution

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 62,468

6. Hornet, Wasp, or Bee Sting

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 56,789

7. Hot Weather

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 13,729

8. Alcohol Poisoning

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 10,048

9. Accidental Electrocution

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 9,968

10. Accidental Firearm Discharge

Lifetime Odds: 1 in 5,134


Notes on Odds Statistics: From the National Safety Council

The odds are statistical averages taken from the whole U.S. population. These odds do not necessarily reflect the chances of death for a particular person from a particular external cause.

Any individual's odds of dying from various external causes are affected by the activities in which they participate, where they live and drive, what kind of work they do, and other factors.

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