In 2004, 3.7 million people attended an AXE department in England & Wales because of accidents, 130,000 were admitted to hospital and more than 11,800 people died as a result, nearly half occurring at home and around a third in motor vehicle incidents. Many of these deaths would have been prevented, had appropriate safety measures been taken. A high proportion of deaths from accidents occur in males between five and 34 years of age; alcohol is a significant factor. Since the introduction of compulsory use of car seatbelts in the UK in the 1980s and more safety feature such as airbags in vehicles, death from driving has fallen to one of the lowest rates in the EU; the figure for 2007 was 3,940. With employers more aware of the risks of injury and death in the work place — with legislation reinforcing education — the number of such incidents has fallen over the past 50 years or more: this group now accounts for less than 2 per cent of all accidental deaths. Accidental deaths in the elderly are mainly caused by falls, mostly at home. In infants, choking is a significant cause of accidental death, with food and small objects presenting the main hazards, but drowning is the third most likely hazard, usually at home. Poisoning (often from drug overdose) and drowning are notable causes between the mid-20s and mid-40s.
Fatalities that directly arise from an unplanned incident are referred to as accidental deaths. Among young adults, especially males, a considerable number of deaths occur due to accidents. Road traffic accidents, drowning, and drug overdose account for a significant portion of these fatalities, with alcohol playing a substantial role as a contributing factor.
Among elderly individuals, falls within their own homes and incidents involving burns or asphyxiation from fires are frequent causes of accidental death. In infants, significant causes of accidental death include choking on food or suffocation due to bedclothes or materials like plastic bags. With the implementation of effective safety measures, fatal accidents in the workplace have become less prevalent.