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- Americans are now more likely to die from an opioid overdose (1 in 57) than from suicide (1 in 87) or a car crash (1 in 95).
- Heart disease (1 in 6) and cancer (1 in 7) remain the most common causes of death in the U.S.
- Despite fears, lifetime odds of dying from gun assault are far lower at 1 in 238—less than overdoses, suicide, or falls.
The National Safety Council tracks Americans’ lifetime odds of dying from various causes, offering perspective on everyday risks. The most striking recent shift is the rise of opioid overdoses as a leading cause of death, surpassing car crashes and suicide in likelihood.
Lifetime Odds of Dying by Cause (2023)
Below are the odds of dying from selected causes in the U.S., as reported by the National Safety Council and visualized by Statista:
| Cause | Lifetime Odds |
|---|---|
| Heart Disease | 1 in 6 |
| Cancer | 1 in 7 |
| Stroke | 1 in 26 |
| Opioid Overdose | 1 in 57 |
| Suicide | 1 in 87 |
| Fall | 1 in 91 |
| Motor Vehicle Crash | 1 in 95 |
| Gun Assault | 1 in 238 |
While heart disease and cancer dominate—with lifetime odds of 1 in 6 and 1 in 7, respectively—opioid overdoses now rank alarmingly high, with odds of 1 in 57.
For comparison, suicide is 1 in 87, a fall is 1 in 91, and a motor vehicle crash is 1 in 95. Gun assaults, though widely feared, carry far lower odds of 1 in 238.
The Opioid Crisis and Fentanyl’s Role
Opioid overdose deaths have surged in recent years, driven in part by fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid often mixed with heroin. The U.S. saw an estimated 105,000 overdose deaths in 2023—down slightly from the year before, but still alarmingly high compared to pre-pandemic levels.
In 2017, the lifetime odds of dying from an overdose were 1 in 96; by 2022 they had worsened to 1 in 55 before easing slightly to today’s 1 in 57.
Understanding Everyday Risks
While opioid overdoses make headlines, other risks remain far less likely to claim lives. Gun assaults, for instance, are statistically less likely than falls or car crashes. Even rarer are events such as drowning (about 1 in 1,000 odds), choking (1 in 2,500), or dog attacks (1 in 44,499). For perspective, a person in the U.S. is more likely to die in a storm event like a hurricane or tornado (1 in 39,192) than in a dog attack.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
For a global perspective, explore this Voronoi post showing the top 20 causes of death worldwide in 2021, based on WHO data collected during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.