Rawstory: Americans now more likely to die from getting shot than in car accidents
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says that Americans are now statistically more likely to be killed by a gun than in a car accident.
The Economist reported Friday that death by cars in this country is on the decline. Safety technology continues to improve, states and municipalities have enacted tougher seatbelt laws and fewer young people are driving, which means that streets and highways in the U.S. are safer than ever.
Deaths by gunshot, however, are on a slight increase in the U.S., meaning that currently, Americans are slightly more likely to be killed by bullets whether through suicide, accidents or domestic violence than in a road accident.
The Center for American Progress released a report last year saying that soon the two lines would intersect for people 25 and under, but now the Bloomberg News has released its own numbers, which indicate that gun deaths have overtaken road accidents as a cause of death for the whole population, regardless of age.
The Economist said that there are nearly 320 million people in the U.S. and nearly as many firearms. While the percentage of households that own guns has gone down, many firearms enthusiasts are buying up as many weapons as they can.
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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/americans-now-more-likely-to-die-from-getting-shot-than-in-car-accidents/
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)Now I can drive even more reckless 10 miles from my home and be safe.
This whole gun culture makes me want to
isobar
(188 posts)You should all be so proud!!
GUNZ are GOD !!
Old Codger
(4,205 posts)Firearm homicides
Number of deaths: 11,068
Deaths per 100,000 population: 3.6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year
death by auto:2011 32,479
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/homicide.htm
Latest I could find, the trend seems to be auto deaths are declining somewhat but still outnumber death by firearm, actually more chance of dying by accidental poisoning than either of the others...auto deaths second and accidental falls third.
Automobiles have become safer, guns in themselves will probably never become safer so the alternative is to make it it harder for idiots to get guns and require some realistic laws in order to make the people who have guns act in a safer manner.. gun safes required,training required, mandatory background checks for all gun sales, including private sales and severe consequences for anyone who sidesteps the background checks...
Is in the death by firearms number
Response to d_r (Reply #4)
Old Codger This message was self-deleted by its author.
Old Codger
(4,205 posts)That suicide is also a part of the "accidental" poisoning numbers also along with deaths occurring in single car "accidents".
d_r
(6,907 posts)Then it is intentional poisoning. Drug overdoses are likely separate from poisoning, whether accidental or intentional. It depends on you decide to cut the numbers up. I'm guessing more firearm suicides than car accident suicides but impossible to really say. One of the reasons for car accident suicides is to look like an accident for insurance, etc.
Be willing to venture a guess that a percentage of them are deliberate, I cannot even make a stab at what percentage, but some of them anyway. I have talked to state troopers and accident investigators and they tell me that there are a lot more single car accidents that are probably suicide than you would think...
d_r
(6,907 posts)And I've heard similar.