Your Odds Of Dying In A Shark Attack (And Other Accidental Death Stats)
by Mike Richard
I plan on diving as much as humanly possible while I’m away. Sometimes I even like to sit on my couch and play Scuba Steve in full dive gear while staring longingly at reruns of Globe Trekker: Sri Lanka & the Maldives.
But I digress …
Many travelers harbor irrational fears that affect their journeys and the risks they take. For travelers with a penchant for diving, many fear sharks. In our dive class, our instructors and divemasters underscored how unlikely it is that we’d ever be the victim of a shark attack.
Feeling a bit curious today, I decided to find out just how unlikely. Finding worldwide shark attack statistics was easy, however the only comprehensive list of “cause of death” stats I could find was from 2003 and specific to the United States. No matter though because the comparison only reinforces what our instructors told us.
To put things in perspective, I’ve compared fatal shark attacks worldwide to other, what I would consider, rather bizarre ways to die. In increasing order of likelihood:
| Cause of Death | Total Number |
|---|---|
| Shark Attack | 4 (out of 57 total attacks) |
| Contact with hot tap-water | 26 |
| Lightning | 47 |
| Contact with hornets, wasps and bees | 66 |
| Intentional self-poisoning | 5,462 |
“Contact with hot tap-water”? So I’m more likely to be, not just maimed, but actually killed by my hot water faucet at home than dying in a shark attack?
I think it’s fair to say that death by shark is a bit of an irrational fear, no?
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About the Author
Vagabondish editor, Mike Richard, lives in Rhode Island - a spit of land in the northeastern U.S. He is a professional web designer and travel junkie with an unhealthy addiction to backpacking, camping, hiking and seeing the world. He enjoys knit hats, small, declarative sentences and speaking in the third person.
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August 15th, 2007
Great post! Irrational fears can control your life if you let them. Way to put things in perspective!
August 16th, 2007
it’s funny, after 9/11 sharks seem to have stopped attacking people, at least as far as the news media is concerned. for the whole summer that year it seemed as though the beaches were just giant all-you-can-eat-buffets for sharks.
August 16th, 2007
I would be much more interested in the percentages than the actual numbers
if everyone had access to hot water everyday, then 26/6,000,000,000 isn’t a whole lot – and then you would have to multiply the number by the amount of times during the day you came in contact.
I know it’s stupid to think people die from hot water (it really is) but I’m just putting this out there
February 19th, 2008
that would be the scariens thing in the world if i was him i would jumped into the sharks mouth love yayayayay
March 7th, 2008
scary but at least i would have a stry to tell!if you are agreeing with me say “i”
March 19th, 2008
but the percentage of people that swin in the sea is low. The percentage of attacks compared with the numbers that regularly swin in shark infested waters would be a more interesting statistic
April 1st, 2008
i’m not fully convinced because the rest of the deaths are all land based, shark attacks are in the ocean & yeah i’m too tired too write anything else
May 2nd, 2008
So you’re saying there’s a chance…
May 3rd, 2008
did he die man i would poo my pants if that was me
September 15th, 2008
irrational fear ? well .. yes and no .. you are more likely to be killed by hot tap water, yeah.. but your chances of coming into contact with hot tap water are far greater than ever meeting a shark.
I’d say your chances would increase ( at least above the tap water threshold ) the more time you spend in the ocean. ( and especially if it were New Smyrna Beach in FL )
June 23rd, 2009
Bullshit. People died from sharks everyday. The attacks are not reported around here because if “they arn’t americans, why should we care”.
Don’t go in the ocean. And if you do, don’t be surprised if you get a leg torn off.
July 27th, 2009
Yeah, but if the shark gets you, it sure is a much uglier and excruciating way to die in my opinion.
July 27th, 2009
oh and btw, is that a real photo?
July 28th, 2009
And I really hope that contact with hot water thing is a joke or what richard’s thinks is a joke bacause fucking with sharks isn’t. Hey mike who speaks in the third person, please go diving as much as humanly possible as you put it. the more you are in the ocean, the better chance you might get to see what real fear is. Because we don’t want that bad little water faucet to take you out. What a bitch way to die. “Well Scuba Steve over here was doing dishes and he wasn’t paying attention and the hot water got him.” Fucking loser.
July 28th, 2009
@Michael: I’ll stick to believing the above linked stats from the Florida Museum of Natural History over your unfounded liberal hysteria that “non-American” shark deaths are simply unreported.
@Loz: So true, so true. It’s certainly a horrific way to go. But a rare one nonetheless.
@Michael#2: Been diving, been in the ocean. Swam with sharks. And the fear *is* irrational. If it bothers you, don’t dive/swim.
July 28th, 2009
@Loz: Oh, and yes the photo is real … but it’s actually a dolphin, not a shark. =)
July 29th, 2009
damn mike, out of all of people that have been leaving comments since August of 2007, Loz and I are the first people you felt like you need to type back to, in less than 24 hours. OK Richard, I understand that sharks are non-violent, But I wouldn’t take my chances swimming around in there habitiat because of the simple fact that they might turn on you. And you can’t say that it will not happen, Because even according to your “stats” 4 out of 57 died. The fact is still 57 got attack. I am not talking about death totals, I am talking about being in the water and getting bit. That beats out hot water contact and lighting Strikes. I was fucking around on the first comment buddy. Don’t you have some outdoor adventure to go on, then come back and leave some post about how “the chances of drowning in the bathroom sink are greater then getting attack by a bear.”
November 23rd, 2009
[...] 26 died from contact with hot water (o_O). 5,462 died of intentional self poisoning. (Source: Vagabondish also photo [...]
November 24th, 2009
[...] 26 died from contact with hot water (o_O). 5,462 died of intentional self poisoning. (Source: Vagabondish also photo [...]
June 11th, 2010
[...] Total Number Shark Attack 4 (out of 57 total attacks) Contact with hot tap-water 26 Source: Your Odds Of Dying In A Shark Attack (And Other Accidental Death Stats) More people died as a result of additional car crashes after 9/11 (pwople drove instead of flew in [...]
August 4th, 2010
We all gotta die of something.
The photo is not of a dolphin.
October 27th, 2010
It certainly looked very sharky to me. Look here in Aust we have lots of sharks – & I’ve been paranoid since I saw Jaws when I was 14(that’s a lot of years). Statistically irrational for sure, but why PUT yourself there. Anyway I just started kayaking at a nearby beach and finally thought I’d got over it – not any more! That is SO a shark not a dolphin.
November 11th, 2010
Dolphins have tails that are flat and perpindicular with their bodies, sharks tails are stright in line with their bodies. therefore this photo is a shark.
November 15th, 2010
Did you know that the shark population has decreased by 90%?! I mean, soda pop machines kill more people than sharks! So if you’re so afraid for your life, stay away from those pop machines. Hm, somehow, I can’t find anyone who shying away from those things yet we’re all so scared of sharks . . . Honestly, people, get a grip.
December 5th, 2010
All I need to say is whoever said that the picture above is a dolphin is a serious idiot. I can tell you any sensible person could see thats a f**king shark. Really? …. Really? It is true your taking a chance every time you venture into the ocean. If thats a chance your willing to take go for it. I dont believe in those stats either they are bullshit. Please tell me where you got your stats I’d love to know. Hot tap water!! Come on…..really? I feel like people say that so we wont be terrified of swimming in the ocean. Sharks will eat you. Dont you know what you look like in the water to sharks?? Have you seen shark week? Your a meal. It will never change so dont feel relieved. I dont mess around with sharks. Sharks were here first and the ocean is their home. Humans were not made for the ocean. Get it already. P.S I dont know where I found this site haha but I wanted to say something. dolphin….psssshhht.
July 9th, 2011
while yes we are more likely to die from hot water strictly from the fact of more often we come in contact… there are people that spend days amongst sharks. In fact i have been to a stingray sandbar in the grand caymans and a shark came in for a feeding and deliberately avoided biting humans. I also swam with sharks during scuba dives. Not once was i bitten. Is there a risk that they will bite out of curiosity or if we are in their feeding grounds. But to think it will happen EVERY time and you are in danger in the water is completely irrational. ThereThere is The
July 9th, 2011
there is the likelihood of being bitten in some lakes by bull sharks, eaten by piranha in other countries, and even for random animals to attack you as you step out the door. Are you going to hide in your house on the risk that some dog or wild animal is going to attack you? Or not let your children out to play outside on the slim chance that a pit bull or rottweiler is going to run up and attack them? Either you can live or let fear control you…. I say take chances, life is too boring if you dont
August 1st, 2011
I think the reason people get attacked by sharks is because people are stupid. People swim inshore of sandbars: sharks live there. People swim in early morning and darkness, when sharks are most active. The sharks are probably just protecting their territory. Or, they’re just hungry. Either way, before anyone goes swimming in the ocean, he/she should learn a little about it first. Sharks are meant for the ocean. If people were meant to live in the ocean, we would have gills and fins. I’m definitely not saying to stay out of the ocean. I’m just saying that it would be a good idea to get information about where you swim. If somebody came into my house without permission and just started walking around, I would ask them to leave. If they didn’t leave, I’d kick them out. That’s the same thing with sharks. We come into their territory. It’s not like they invited us to come in, like the shark from Finding Nemo invited Dori and Marlin. Since sharks cannot really ask us to leave, they simply kick us out. They are just protecting their territory like a guard dog. If a shark sees what it thinks is an intruder, it will get rid of it. Sharks know thier ocean better than we do, and we need to respect their space.
August 1st, 2011
@Amber, that is a really good way to put it. Life would definitely be too boring without risks. Anything in the world can kill you, like a pillow, a T.V., or a can of pop. Even getting out of bed in the morning is a risk. Each moment of life is a risk. In every dicision that we make–walking, sleeping, cooking, swimming–there is always something that can go wrong. When swimming in the ocean, there are lots of things that can happen. But it’s good to take risks, as long as you are aware of the risks you take.
January 12th, 2012
if your diving, take a bangstick. (shark) problem solved.