We all know about the major statistics -- thousands of people die from things like cancer, accidents, or other illnesses every day. But did you know that enough people die from falling out of bed or getting a snack out of a vending machine that these things qualify as death statistics?
Texting while driving kills 6,000 annually in the U.S. alone
A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) reports that a driver's risk of collision is 23 times greater when they are texting. (Link | Photo)
Hippos kill 2,900 people annually in Africa
Many experts believe that the Hippopotamus is the most dangerous animal in all of Africa. Weighing up to 8,000 pounds, a Hippo can gallop 18 mph and have been known to upset boats for no reason and bite the passengers with their huge, sharp teeth. Not only that, but Hippos are aggressive, unpredictable and have no fear of humans. People die most often when they get between a hippo and deep water or between a mother and her calf. (Link | Photo)
Autoerotic Asphyxiation Kills 600 people annually
Autoerotic asphyxiation is the act of strangling or suffocating yourself to heighten sexual arousal and orgasm. Depriving the brain of oxygen gives a person a dizzy, high feeling, however it's all too easy to make a mistake and accidentally kill yourself while practicing this dangerous sex act. Just ask the 600 people per year who die while masturbating. Oh wait, you can't ask them... because they're dead. (Link | Photo)
Falling out of bed kills 450 people annually in the U.S.
According to the Center for Disease Control, falling out of bed accounts for 1.8 million emergency room visits and over 400 thousand hospital admissions each year. The very young and the very old are most at risk, and with decreased stability as we age, people over the age of 65 tend to fare the worst when falling. (Link 1 | Link 2 | Photo)
Icicles kill 100 people per year in Russia
Each year dozens are killed when sharp icicles fall from snowy rooftops and land on hapless victims on the sidewalks below. (Link | Photo)
Jellyfish kill 20-40 people per year in the Philippines alone
While most jellyfish are not deadly, some varieties can cause anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. (Link | Photo)
Dogs kill 34 people per year in the U.S.
There are approximately 4.7 million dog bite victims annually in the U.S. and 1,000 Americans are treated in emergency rooms as a result of dog bites every day. Most of these victims are children who were bitten in the face. (Link | Photo)
Ants kill 30 people per year
There are over 280 different species of ants that can kill, and the fire ant and Siafu ants of Africa are among the most deadly. Since they live in colonies up to 20 million strong, once an attack begins ants can easily overpower their prey. Most reports of deaths are due to people falling asleep near an ant hill and succumbing to anaphylactic shock from countless ant bites and venom.
Vending machines kill 13 people per year
Each year vending machines topple over and crush about 10-13 people. Death by snacking! (Link | Photo)
Roller Coasters kill 4 people per year
Overall, the risk of injury while riding a roller coaster is very low. In the U.S. people take about 900 million rides per year, and only about 1 in 124,000 result in an injury.
However, studies show that between the years 1994-2004 there were 40 deaths from roller coasters total, and currently the annual death rate is about 4 per year in the U.S.A.
Texting while driving kills 6,000 annually in the U.S. alone
A study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) reports that a driver's risk of collision is 23 times greater when they are texting. (Link | Photo)
Hippos kill 2,900 people annually in Africa
Many experts believe that the Hippopotamus is the most dangerous animal in all of Africa. Weighing up to 8,000 pounds, a Hippo can gallop 18 mph and have been known to upset boats for no reason and bite the passengers with their huge, sharp teeth. Not only that, but Hippos are aggressive, unpredictable and have no fear of humans. People die most often when they get between a hippo and deep water or between a mother and her calf. (Link | Photo)
Autoerotic Asphyxiation Kills 600 people annually
Autoerotic asphyxiation is the act of strangling or suffocating yourself to heighten sexual arousal and orgasm. Depriving the brain of oxygen gives a person a dizzy, high feeling, however it's all too easy to make a mistake and accidentally kill yourself while practicing this dangerous sex act. Just ask the 600 people per year who die while masturbating. Oh wait, you can't ask them... because they're dead. (Link | Photo)
Falling out of bed kills 450 people annually in the U.S.
According to the Center for Disease Control, falling out of bed accounts for 1.8 million emergency room visits and over 400 thousand hospital admissions each year. The very young and the very old are most at risk, and with decreased stability as we age, people over the age of 65 tend to fare the worst when falling. (Link 1 | Link 2 | Photo)
Icicles kill 100 people per year in Russia
Each year dozens are killed when sharp icicles fall from snowy rooftops and land on hapless victims on the sidewalks below. (Link | Photo)
Jellyfish kill 20-40 people per year in the Philippines alone
While most jellyfish are not deadly, some varieties can cause anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. (Link | Photo)
Dogs kill 34 people per year in the U.S.
There are approximately 4.7 million dog bite victims annually in the U.S. and 1,000 Americans are treated in emergency rooms as a result of dog bites every day. Most of these victims are children who were bitten in the face. (Link | Photo)
Ants kill 30 people per year
There are over 280 different species of ants that can kill, and the fire ant and Siafu ants of Africa are among the most deadly. Since they live in colonies up to 20 million strong, once an attack begins ants can easily overpower their prey. Most reports of deaths are due to people falling asleep near an ant hill and succumbing to anaphylactic shock from countless ant bites and venom.
Vending machines kill 13 people per year
Each year vending machines topple over and crush about 10-13 people. Death by snacking! (Link | Photo)
Roller Coasters kill 4 people per year
Overall, the risk of injury while riding a roller coaster is very low. In the U.S. people take about 900 million rides per year, and only about 1 in 124,000 result in an injury.
However, studies show that between the years 1994-2004 there were 40 deaths from roller coasters total, and currently the annual death rate is about 4 per year in the U.S.A.
Posted in: 10 Incredibly Bizarre Death Statistics ...(interesting but scary)