On average there are only 70 shark attacks every year in the entire world. Of those 70 attacks, only around 4 ever prove to be fatal. Though the apex predator of the ocean, the sharks of the world are really not as much of a threat to humans as we often think. In fact, there are many things that we interact with everyday that are much more dangerous than sharks. Here is a list of 10 everyday objects that are more dangerous to people than sharks:
Balloons
These bright, colorful party favors are a must for birthdays, celebrations, and parties. However, every year an average of 6 children in the United States die of suffocation from a balloon. Balloons also send around 500 children to the hospital every year from choking or other injuries. Balloons are far more dangerous to people, especially children, than sharks.
Lawn Mowers
Lawn mowers are a tool necessary to maintain our lawns. Everyone knows that lawnmowers can be dangerous, but not everyone knows lawn mowers cause an average of 75 deaths a year in the United States alone. Furthermore, every year 80,000 people go to the hospital to get treatment for injuries from lawn mowers. Lawn mowers are so dangerous that every two out of one thousand trips to the emergency room are to treat lawn mowers injuries. Lawn mowers do way more damage every year than sharks ever could.
Ladders
Ladders are another item most people know are dangerous. However, that still does not prevent ladders for being responsible for 20% of all dangerous falls. Every year 15,500 people go to the hospital in the United States to treat injuries caused by falling off a ladder. While 113 ladder falls every year prove to be deadly. That is more than 28 times more deaths caused by falling off of ladders than by shark attacks.
Furniture
Household furniture can be incredibly dangerous. Every year there are 43,200 hospital visits for injuries caused by furniture tipping over onto someone. Of those people, 26 are crushed to death. While another 1.8 million people go to the hospital after falling out of bed. 450 of those people die from the fall. While coffee tables cause 143,070 children under the age of 5 to visit the emergency every year. Also 237 people go to the hospital every year from burning themselves on lightbulbs. With so many injuries and deaths caused every year from household furniture, it is crazy to think people are so scared of sharks.
Pens And Pencils
Pens and pencils are both more dangerous than sharks. Every year, 6,000 people go to the hospital for pencil related injuries. Many times the injuries are the result of a pencil being stuck in someone’s eye. While other times, sharp pencils stab and cut the skin. Of these 6,000 injuries, 100 more prove to be fatal. Pens also injure and kill people. On average, 100 people a year die from chewing on a pen. That is because the pen cap comes loose, gets stuck in the throat, and causes people to suffocate to death. Both pens and pencils cause 25 times more deaths than sharks every single year.
Space Heaters
In the cold weather, space heaters are great to keep you warm. However, space heaters are a major fire hazard and can cause severe burns. Space heaters cause 40% of all household fires. They also cause an average of 1,490 injuries and 470 deaths every single year. It would take 118 years to have as many deaths from shark attacks as there are in one year from a space heater.
Toasters
This convenient kitchen appliance, found in nearly every home in the world is far more deadly to humans than sharks. In fact, 700 people worldwide are killed every year by toasters. The United States alone has 300 toaster-related deaths. Most of the deaths are the result of electrical shock from sticking a knife into the slots to remove jammed toast. That is 175 times more deaths from toasters than from shark attacks.
Toothpicks
These small objects seem innocuous enough, but the sharp, thin shapes of toothpicks can be very dangerous. Every year 9000 people end up in the hospital from choking on toothpicks. Most toothpick victims are children between the ages of 5 and 14. Furthermore, an average of 3 people die every year from accidentally swallowing toothpicks, puncturing their internal organs. Toothpicks kill nearly as many people every year as sharks.
Zippers
Zippers, especially pant zippers are extremely dangerous. Though rarely ever the cause of death, pant zippers put an average of 1,700 men in the emergency room in the United States every year. Men get caught so often in zippers that they are statistically the number one cause of injury for male genitalia. Zippers injure more people every year than sharks do in two decades.
With so many everyday objects being more deadly than the sharks of the world, it is a wonder people fear shark attacks. In reality, most sharks have no interest in humans. Attacks usually happen when a human has been mistaken for prey or if a shark feels threatened. So the next time you worry about a shark attack, think about how these ten everyday objects are far more deadly to you than any shark.
