Last updated on: 7/12/2023 | Author: ProCon.org

Leading Causes of Suicide, Homicide, and Unintentional Death

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tallies American deaths in the WISQARS database. Below are the total number of deaths by suicide, homicide, and unintentional deaths by the method of death, from 1999-2016

Leading Methods of Suicide

MethodNumber of Deaths
Firearm26,328
Suffocation12,431
Drug poisoning4,375
Non-drug poisoning1,193
Fall1,184
Cut/pierce965
Other specified and classifiable697
Drowning (includes water transport)459
Fire/flame195
Transport (land)157
Other specified and not classified elsewhere112

Leading Methods of Homicide

MethodNumber of Deaths
Firearm20,958
Unspecified1,376
Other specified and not classified elsewhere464
Suffocation409
Struck by/against287
Drug poisoning214
Other specified and classifiable166
Transport (land)113
Fire/flame108
Drowning (includes water transport)24
Fall12 (unstable figure)
Hot object/substance—
Non-drug poisoning—

Leading Methods of Unintentional Death

MethodNumber of Deaths
Drug poisoning98,268
Fall44,686
Unspecified, motor vehicle traffic20,768
Occupant, motor vehicle traffic10,025
Pedestrian, motor vehicle traffic7,984
Suffocation7,182
Unspecified6,392
Motorcyclist5,762
Drowning (includes water transport)4,677
Non-drug poisoning3,733
Fire/flame3,389
Natural/environmental2,812
Other specified and classifiable1,602
Transport, other land1,378
Other specified and classifiable1,149
Struck by/against1,024
Pedestrian, other1,000
Pedal cyclist, motor vehicle traffic853
Firearm549
Machinery530
Transport, other (excluding drowning by water transport)501
Pedal cyclist, other377
Hot object/substance95
Overexertion13
Other, motor vehicle Traffic12

Source

Source: CDC, “WISQARS Fatal and Nonfatal Injury Reports,” cdc.gov (accessed July 10, 2023)

 
 

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