What Is More Likely to Kill You: A Shark or Falling Out of Bed?

Thanks to Hollywood films like Jaws, sharks are one of the most feared animals on the planet. Often depicted as mindless, violent, man-eating machines, it is no surprise that people assume shark attacks and fatalities are very common. Many people avoid swimming in the ocean entirely out of fear of spotting that telltale dorsal fin. What most people don’t know is that shark attacks and fatalities are far less common than most people realize. So that leaves us with the question: how deadly are shark attacks? 

Another potentially more intriguing question is, what things are more likely to kill you than a shark? This article will divulge some less expected animals and situations more deadly than a shark attack. It will also answer the question: what is more likely to kill you, a shark attack or falling out of bed? 

How Often Do Shark Attacks Happen?

One factor that makes shark attacks less deadly than a lot of other animal attacks or life occurrences is the fact that they do not happen very often. Think about it: you are less likely to be killed by something that rarely happens. According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), between 1960 and 2021, 2015 was the year with the most worldwide shark attacks. The recent five-year average number of fatal shark attack incidents worldwide is around 70 attacks per year. 

While 70 worldwide is not a very high number, the United States accounts for more than half of the shark attacks in the world. The states with the highest number of attacks are Florida, Hawaii, South Carolina, North Carolina, and California. Although that fact may be alarming, rest assured that your chances of dying from a shark attack are still very low. According to the International Wildlife Museum, “the odds of getting attacked and killed by a shark are 1 in 3,748,067.” This makes shark attacks appear much less deadly.

How Often Do People Have a Fatal Fall?

Falling down may not seem so scary to most people. After all, unless you are an elder or a toddler, you may not think about falling that much. While most people do not fear falling, the World Health Organization mentions that “falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide.” The number of estimated fatal falls that happen worldwide each year is 684,000. Compare that to the average number of 70 fatal shark attacks worldwide, and you can see the stark difference. Your chances of falling and dying are much higher. You have a 1 in 98 chance of having a fatal fall. 

How Many Fatal Falls Occur From Bed?

Although there are 684,000 fatal falls a year, not all falls happen in the same place. Some people fall off ladders, and others fall down the stairs. Some people even fall out of bed. According to the CDC records, there are “approximately 1.8 million emergency room visits and over 400,000 hospital admissions” that occur to those who are over 65 each year. Keep in mind that those figures only apply to those who are over 65. Anyone is capable of having an accident and a potentially life-threatening fall.

 Out of those falls that happen yearly, it is estimated that about 450 people die from falling out of bed each year. Most of the deaths from falling out of bed occur due to head and neck injuries. This is based on how the person fell or landed from their fall. While a fall from your bed may be less likely than a fall off a ladder, down the stairs, or slipping on a wet sidewalk, it is still a more likely thing to cause injury and a potential fatality than a shark attack. Although the 1 in 98 chance of fatal falls includes all types of falls, the difference of 450 annual fatalities from falling out of bed compared to the 70 annual fatalities from shark bites speaks volumes. It also proves that falling out of bed is more likely to kill you than a shark. 

Things That Are Deadlier Than Sharks 

While you now understand that shark attacks are not as deadly as you thought, it can still be a difficult thing to wrap your mind around. After all, seeing their massive mouths full of rows upon rows of sharp teeth does little to encourage you that you are safe. While it is true that if you come face to face with a shark, it can be deadly, here are some other things that kill way more people annually than shark attacks. 

Animals That Cause More Death Than Sharks 

Sharks are not the only deadly animals out there. In fact, there are many animals and insects that are much more hazardous and more likely to be fatal to you than a shark attack. Below are just some of those creatures.

Deer 

While most people feel bad for hitting a deer with their car because of the damage to the deer, many people forget the damage that can be inflicted on them as well. Accidents involving collisions with deer account for 440 deaths per year. This number far exceeds the number of fatal shark attacks a year. Additionally, as more and more of their habitat is taken, it is expected for this number to increase. Furthermore, as the clocks go backward, that will also increase the number of deer accidents. That is because researchers have found a correlation between the time of day and the frequency of deer accidents. Most deer accidents occur within two hours after sunset. 

Mosquitoes 

An insect being more deadly than a shark attack? It cannot be! Surprisingly, it is! Mosquitoes are known to transmit and spread several deadly diseases and viruses, including malaria, Zika, and West Nile virus. Malaria-related deaths from mosquitoes alone account for about 400,000 deaths a year. When considering deaths from any mosquito-transmitted disease, the number becomes much higher. The AMCA shares that “ over one million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year.” 

Bees

It can be difficult to imagine. Something the size of the bee is more deadly than a shark attack? However, they do account for more annual deaths. Although bee stings are only fatal to those who have severe allergic reactions, they still account for about 72 deaths a year. That puts them slightly over the average of fatal shark attacks a year. Additionally, you are much more likely to encounter a bee than you are a shark.  So, if you or someone you know has a severe allergy, it is best to be aware and prepared.

Incidents That Cause More Death Than Sharks 

Animals are not the only things that prove to be more deadly than shark attacks. Below are two common occurrences that prove to have a higher death toll than shark attacks. 

Driving 

Many people fear sharks, from the five to ten times that they get to swim in the ocean a year. However, those same people have no fear as they climb behind the steering wheel of their vehicle. Car accidents happen every day. Whether it is drunk driving, weather-related, or just an honest mistake, the chances of dying from a motor vehicle accident are much higher than dying from a shark attack. While there are over a million people killed or disabled annually because of an auto accident, there is a  number that is even more striking. It is estimated that there are over 3,000 deaths a day, worldwide, due to fatal accidents. If there are about 3,000 deaths a day, that means that in a single year, there are 1,095,000 deaths due to auto accidents. 

Rip Currents  

Sharks are not the only deadly thing in the ocean. Many people possess basic shark knowledge and know to keep an eye out when swimming. Few people are familiar with rip currents. Rip currents, also prevalent at beaches, are powerful channels of fast-moving water. These currents are very strong and can flow as fast as 8.5 feet per second. If a person gets caught in a rip current, it can be deadly. This is because it begins to push you back into the open ocean strongly.

While it is commonly believed that the rip current will drag you underwater, like a shark, that is not the case. Rather, the rip current will continue to pull a swimmer out. Further and further from the shore until the swimmer tires and drowns. Rip currents kill hundreds of people annually and are a much more common thing to encounter on your trip to the beach than a shark.