One Type of Accidental Death Is Becoming More Common, New Analysis Reveals

Everyone has taken an unexpected spill at one time or another—tripping over the corner of a rug, slipping on ice, or tumbling down the stairs. But it might be a good idea to be extra cautious about where you’re putting your feet: According to a new analysis from USAFacts based on data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), deaths due to accidental falls tripled from 2000 to 2023. 

One reason for the increase, according to USAFacts, is America’s aging population—but that doesn’t completely explain the data, which, when age-adjusted, shows that deaths caused by falls have still risen 2.4-fold. So what’s going on?

Why Are Deaths From Accidental Falls Increasing?

USAFacts has pinpointed a few reasons why accidental falls are on the rise.

One is drug use: Some prescription drugs note an increased risk of falls as a side effect. One survey showed that between January 1999 and March 2000 and January 2017 and March 2020, prescription drug use among Americans 65 and above went from an average of three prescriptions to an average of 4.5. The survey also showed an increased usage of both psychotherapeutic agents and antidepressants. 

Rising alcohol consumption among older Americans as well as high obesity rates could also be factors in the number of deaths by falling. Another might be that how falls are reported has changed: “As people have become more aware of the danger of falls, falls that used to not be recorded as a cause of death may increasingly be reported as a cause,” USAFacts notes. Ultimately, however, “There is no single accepted explanation for the tripling of accidental fall death rates.”

Maps Show the States With the Highest Accidental Deaths From Falls

USAFacts also crunched the data on a state-by-state basis. Wisconsin came out on top, with 32.5 deaths due to accidental falls per 100,000 people. Maine (31.5), Vermont (28.6), Minnesota (25.9), and Rhode Island (24.3) rounded out the top 5.

On the other end of the spectrum, Alabama had the lowest death rates due to accidental falls with 6.4 deaths per 100,000 people. It was followed by New Jersey (7.3), California (7.7), Georgia (8.5), and Texas (8.7).

When the data was age-adjusted, the states with the highest death rates remained mostly the same, albeit in a slightly different order: Wisconsin was once again at the top of the list with 25.3 deaths due to accidental falls per 100,000 people, followed by Maine (20.8), Minnesota (20.3), and Vermont (19.9). Oklahoma, with a death rate of 19.7, came in at number 5. (Rhode Island, meanwhile, came in at number 8 with 17.7.)

Adjusting the data for age also changed the list of states with the fewest accidental deaths due to falls. Alabama had the fewest (5.2), followed by New Jersey (5.7) and California (6.6). Next was Hawaii (7.7) followed by New York (7.8). Georgia came in at number 7 (8.2) and Texas was 11th (9.2).

As USAFacts notes, many of the states with the highest death rates from accidental falls, like Maine and Vermont, have large populations of people over 65. Weather in these states is also a factor: The analysis notes that “Eight of the 10 states with the highest age-adjusted rates are notably snowy.”

What Types of Deaths Are Declining?

In their analysis, USAFacts also determined that while deaths from accidental falls are on the rise, the rates of other top causes of death in the U.S. are declining:

• Heart Disease: Once the most common cause of death, deaths due to heart disease were down 19.5 percent
• Motor vehicle deaths: Down 13 percent
• Cancer: Down 6.8 percent 

How to Avoid Falls

There are some simple steps you can take to cut down your risk of falling. Among the Mayo Clinic’s recommendations are things like: 

• Regularly doing workouts that will improve balance and strength
• Avoiding shoes (or socks) that might make you unsteady
• Removing, rearranging, or securing things that could cause a fall, like cords, boxes, rugs, loose floorboards, etc.
• Making sure there’s enough light in your home so you don’t trip over things  

For interactive maps and a deeper dive into the data, check out the post on USAFacts.