Americans are more likely to die from drug overdoses and car accidents rather than in plane crashes or cataclysmic storms, the National Safety Council said on Monday. The group also states that people frequently misjudge the risks they take.
"Americans worry about the wrong things—for example, 865 times more people are killed in motor vehicle crashes than in commercial plane crashes," said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president of the National Safety Council. "While 'San Andreas' was No. 1 at the box office, earthquakes are very rare events. Knowing the real odds of dying can empower people to make better choices and result in longer lives."
The council said that the lifetime odds of dying from a motor vehicle crash are about 1 in 112 and 1 in 234 for overdosing on opioid prescription painkillers. This is in comparison to 1 in 96,566 for commercial airplane crashes and 1 in 6,780 for a cataclysmic storm.
"Making safe decisions can reduce the risks of being killed in preventable incidents," the council said, according to Bloomberg. "Wearing a seat belt, turning off cell phones and designating a sober driver can greatly reduce the risk of a fatal car crash. While avoiding prescription painkillers in favor of safer alternatives will reduce the likelihood of a fatal overdose and eliminate a pathway to a lifetime of addiction."
The National Safety Council is a nonprofit organization that is focused on reducing risks in the workplace, roads and homes. The group released this report in time for the celebration of National Safety Month, which is June.
