| ■ Accidental Deaths in U.S. Increased in 2005 | 07.06.11 |
| There were 113,000 accidental deaths in the United States in 2005, a 1 percent increase from 2004, says a National Safety Council report that examined state data. The council said the 2005 accidental death rate of 38.1 per 100,000 population was 12 percent higher than the 1992 rate, the lowest on record, the Associated Press reported. The increased presence of seat belts and air bags in cars, smoke detectors in homes, and more severe drunk driving penalties have reduced accidental deaths in some categories. However, increasing rates of falls among the elderly and accidental overdoses from illegal and legal drugs are helping boost the overall accidental death rate, said National Safety Council CEO Alan McMillan. The council said that rates of deaths from falls among people 65 and older increased 31 percent from 1999 to 2003. Between 2002 and 2003, the number of deaths caused by falls increased from 16,257 to 17,229, the AP reported. The number of accidental poisoning deaths (most caused by overdoses of illegal or legal drugs) climbed from 17,550 in 2002 to 19,457 in 2003. |