Americans now more likely to die from getting shot than in car accidents

David Ferguson in Raw Story:

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says that Americans are now statistically more likely to be killed by a gun than in a car accident.

The Economist reported Friday that death by cars in this country is on the decline. Safety technology continues to improve, states and municipalities have enacted tougher seatbelt laws and fewer young people are driving, which means that streets and highways in the U.S. are safer than ever.

Deaths by gunshot, however, are on a slight increase in the U.S., meaning that currently, Americans are slightly more likely to be killed by bullets — whether through suicide, accidents or domestic violence — than in a road accident.

The Center for American Progress released a report last year saying that soon the two lines would intersect for people 25 and under, but now the Bloomberg News has released its own numbers, which indicate that gun deaths have overtaken road accidents as a cause of death for the whole population, regardless of age.

More here.