Cause of Deaths in the U.S.

Cause of Deaths in the U.S.

Home inspectors are often asked by their clients if they should have their home tested for radon. Real-world loss-of-life comparisons help consumers decide about whether or not they should test. If you are worried about shark attacks, getting trampled by cows, or terrorism, you should be worried sick about radon. These statistics help put things in their proper perspective so that your clients can decide if they want a radon test or not.  Here is a downloadable PDF that inspectors can give to their clients onsite to help them decide if they should get a radon test:  https://www.nachi.org/documents2012/radon-deaths-chart.pdf

 DEATHS PER YEAR

Number	Cause	Source
611,105	Heart Disease	Centers for Disease Control (2015)
584,881	All Cancers	Centers for Disease Control (2015)
160,000	Smoking	American Cancer Society (2004)
88,000	Alcohol Use	Centers for Disease Control (2015)
51,783	Colon Cancer	Centers for Disease Control (2015)
41,149	Suicide	Centers for Disease Control (2014)
40,290	Breast Cancer	National Cancer Institute (2015)
32,719	Motor Vehicle Accidents	Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (2013)
29,500	Falls	National Safety Council (2013)
22,767	Prescription Drug  Overdoses	National Institute on Drug Abuse (2013)
21,840	Leukemia	U.S. EPA (2010)
21,530	Lymphoma	U.S. EPA (2010)
21,000	Lung Cancer from Radon Gas	U.S. EPA
16,121	Homicides	Centers for Disease Control (2013)
14,775	Illegal Drug Overdoses	National Institute on Drug Abuse (2013)
13,712	AIDS	Centers for Disease Control (2012)
11,208	Firearm Homicides	Centers for Disease Control (2013)
8,257	Heroin Overdoses	National Institute on Drug Abuse (2013)
4,944	Cocaine Overdoses	National Institute on Drug Abuse (2013)
3,880	Drowning	Centers for Disease Control (avg. 2005-2009)
3,005	Fires	U.S. Fire Administration (2011)
3,000	Secondhand Smoke	U.S. EPA
2,500	Choking	National Safety Council (2009)
1,690	Thyroid Cancer	U.S. EPA (2010)
630	Bicycle Accidents	National Safety Council (2009)
618	Excessive Heat	Centers for Disease Control (avg. 1999-2010)
606	Firearm Accidents	Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence (2010)
376	ATV Accidents	National Safety Council (2009)
300	Ladder Falls	International Association of Certified Home  Inspectors
170	Carbon Monoxide	Consumer Product Safety Commission
104	Wind (including tornadoes)	National Oceanic and Atmospheric  Administration  (2012)
100	Scalding Tap Water	Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public  Health  (2013)
100	Bee Stings	Boston Children's Hospital
72	Terrorist Attacks	FBI (avg. 1970-2015)
26	Lightning	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  (2014)
20	Dangerous Cows	Centers for Disease Control (2009)
15	Falling Icicles	Death in Society Research Foundation
12	High School and College  Football Injuries	National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury  Research (2013)
	Vending Machines Accidents	U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
1	Shark Attacks	Mother Nature Network (2012)
0	Marijuana Overdoses	Numerous sources
0	Nuclear Power Plant Leaks	Numerous sources