2007-07-22 07:41:22 · 5 answers · asked by geo3737 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Ranked purely by accidental deaths, Motorcycle Deaths are much higher than Accidental Gun Deaths.
Logically, it could be presumed that ALL motorcycle deaths are accidental, or unintentional. The primary purposes of a motorcycle is transportation, and recreational use.
Guns have many legal primary uses, including hunting, recreational, occupational, and defensive use. Logically, it cannot be presumed that all firearms deaths are accidents.
To compare the TOTAL number of firearms deaths (around 30,000) to the TOTAL number of deaths on motorcycles (around 4500) is a bad comparison.
Although the number 30,000 sounds terribly impressive, the truth of that number is that about 57% of those deaths are suicides--that's about 17,100. In other words, people that were looking to end their life. Had a firearm not been available, they would have likely used another method. Firearms are simply the most efficient and effective method for suicide, therefore the logical choice when available.
Of the remaining deaths 12,900, most are classified as homicide, but no distinction is made between justified homicides (self defense) and unjustified homicides (murder).
The number of accidental deaths generally is small, usually less than 3% of the total according to the CDC. That's about a 1000 accidental deaths, approximately each year.
Using the numbers supplied by zeebya (and I do not know his source for those numbers, as the CDC is only now finalizing their report on compiled 2004 deaths), we can see that accidental deaths on motorcycles is about 3 times higher than accidental gun deaths, in that year.
That is the only true comparison that can be made. Anything else is "apples and oranges."
2007-07-25 05:56:27 · answer #1 · answered by Shrimp 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The TOTAL number of gun related deaths in 2004 was approximately 3 times that of motorcycle deaths. I could not find figures for the total number of guns vs. the total number of motorcycles. If, as I suspect is the case, guns outnumber motorcycles by more than 3 to 1, than motorcycles would be, statistically, more likely to kill you.
2007-07-22 10:53:01 · answer #2 · answered by STEVEN F 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
In 2005, about 4553 motorcyle deaths
1,500 accidental firearm deaths
Approx. 30,000 firearm murders per year in the U.S. as of 2001
2007-07-22 07:50:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your question is a moot point. After my accident, my wife said she'd shoot me if I got another motorcycle.
2007-07-22 07:51:54 · answer #4 · answered by Pagan Dan 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Gun deaths do.
2007-07-22 07:44:02 · answer #5 · answered by iwannarevolt 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋