National Vital Statistics System

Circumstances of Injuries

According to data reported from death certificates, more than one-quarter of deaths due to homicide, suicide, and accidental injury involved the use of firearms (28 percent). Another 26 percent of deaths due to these causes involved motor vehicles.

Number and percent distribution of decedents dying from external (E-coded) underlying cause by mechanism of injury: United States, 1993

Mechanism of injury Number Percent Standard error of percent 95 percent confidence interval
(+/- percent)
All mechanisms 142,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Cut or pierce 4,000 2.9 0.2047 0.4
Drown or submersion 5,000 3.4 0.7119 1.4
Falls 11,000 7.4 0.3043 0.6
Fire or flames 4,000 2.5 0.1918 0.4
Firearms 39,000 27.7 0.5019 1.0
Motor vehicle 37,000 26.2 0.3436 0.7
Poisonings 16,000 11.2 0.8849 1.7
Struck by/against 1,000 0.9 0.1286 0.3
Suffocation 9,000 6.3 0.3051 0.6
Other/unspecified 16,000 11.6 0.4352 0.9

NOTES: Excludes deaths due to external causes to persons under 15 years of age and those external deaths occurring in South Dakota. Figures may not add to totals due to rounding. Standard errors are estimated using the statistical software package SUDAAN.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Mortality Followback Survey — provisional data, 1993.

When proxy respondents were asked about circumstances related to deaths of persons who died from homicide, suicide, or accidental injuries, the following were reported: 10 percent of the decedents died while at work; 21 percent of the deaths involved the use of firearms; 19 percent of the decedents had an alcoholic beverage within 4 hours of death; and 17 percent of the decedents had taken drugs or medication within 24 hours of death.

Number and percent of decedents dying of external causes (homicide, suicide, accidental injury) by selected circumstances as report by proxy respondents: United States, 1993

Circumstance Number Percent1 Standard error of percent 95 percent confidence interval
(+/- percent)
Working at time of death 17,000 10.0 0.7620 1.5
Firearm involvement 36,000 21.4 0.8275 1.6
Drank alcoholic beverage within 4 hours of death 27,000 18.6 1.0169 2.0
Took or used drugs within 24 hours of death 22,000 16.6 0.8446 1.7

1 Percent working and where firearms were involved based on 166,000 decedents dying of external causes. Percent using alcohol based on 143,000 decedents who drank and died of external causes. Percent using drugs based on 131,000 decedents who used drugs and died of external causes.

NOTES: Excludes deaths to persons under 15 years of age and those deaths occurring in South Dakota. Standard errors are estimated using the statistical software package SUDAAN.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Mortality Followback Survey — provisional data, 1993.

Of the 36,000 deaths where firearm involvement was reported by the proxy respondents, the use of handguns was reported for 72 percent of these deaths.

Number and percent distribution of decedents dying of external causes (homicide, suicide, accidental injury) where firearms were reported by proxy respondents to have been involved by type of firearm: United States, 1993

Type of firearm Number Percent Standard error of percent 95 percent confidence interval
(+/- percent)
All firearms 36,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Handgun 26,000 72.5 1.1005 2.2
Shotgun 5,000 13.9 0.8771 1.7
Rifle 3,000 9.1 0.7349 1.4
Military firearm Z1 0.1 0.0689 0.1
Other 2,000 4.4 0.4505 0.9

1 Z represents less than 500 decedents.

NOTES: Excludes deaths to persons under 15 years of age and those deaths occurring in South Dakota. Figures may not add to totals due to rounding. Standard errors are estimated using the statistical software package SUDAAN.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Mortality Followback Survey — provisional data, 1993.

Decedents dying of motor vehicle injuries were reported to have been the driver in 65 percent of the fatal accidents. One-third of the decedents were reported as not wearing safety belts.

Number and percent distribution of decedents who died of motor vehicle injuries by selected circumstances as reported by proxy respondents: United States, 1993

Decedent’s role in accident: Number Percent Standard error of percent 95 percent confidence interval
(+/- percent)
Total 30,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Driver 19,000 65.3 0.9684 1.9
Passenger 7,000 23.3 0.8067 1.6
Pedestrian 3,000 11.4 0.6262 1.2

Type of vehicle: Number Percent Standard error of percent 95 percent confidence interval
(+/- percent)
Total 27,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Passenger car or van 19,000 71.7 1.0111 2.0
Motorcycle 2,000 7.7 0.5930 1.2
Truck 5,000 17.4 0.8519 1.7
Other 1,000 3.2 0.4241 0.8

Wearing safety belt: Number Percent Standard error of percent 95 percent confidence interval
(+/- percent)
Total 25,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Yes 9,000 38.2 1.1412 2.2
No 8,000 33.4 1.1126 2.2
Don’t know 7,000 28.4 1.1094 2.2

NOTES: Excludes deaths to persons under 15 years of age and those deaths occurring in South Dakota. Figures may not add to totals due to rounding. Standard errors are estimated using the statistical software package SUDAAN.

SOURCE: NCHS, National Mortality Followback Survey — provisional data, 1993.

Page last reviewed: November 6, 2015