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Are you afraid of sharks? Who are we kidding? Of
course you are! Their sharp teeth, massive jaws, and uncanny ability to
appear out of nowhere, make them the stuff of nightmares. But here's the
thing: when you look at the numbers, it's clear that there are literally
hundreds of things out there that are far more deadly than sharks. While
it's still always a good idea to do your best to avoid them, the
likelihood of being killed by a shark is extremely low. Below is just a
sample of things that cause more deaths per year than the toothy sea
creatures.
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Televisions - Apparently, you should be less afraid of the subjects of
"Shark Week," and more terrified of the TV you watch it on. In 2011,
televisions caused 29 deaths.
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Cell Phones - Aside from terrible auto correct fails, texting and
driving is incredibly dangerous, causing 6,000 deaths in the U.S. each
year.
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Bathtubs - There are certain things you
just shouldn't do in the tub - for instance, blow-dry your hair. Or,
say, taking a nap. There are roughly 300 bathtub drowning deaths per
year, many from falling asleep.
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Pencils - These simple writing implements are the cause of around 100
deaths per year. And we're letting children use these things?!
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Vending Machines - Somehow, vending machines actually cause more deaths
than snake and shark-related deaths combined. High calories aren't the
only reason not to get that bag of chips from the vending machine!
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Lightning - Every year, 40-60 people are killed by lightning. So now
when someone says they're afraid of a shark attack, you can tell them
that they're more likely to be struck by lightning...and you WON'T be
lying.
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Candles - A night in with the missus can go south (and not in a good
way) if you end up setting things on fire, literally. In North America
alone, candles cause 120 deaths and 10,000 fires per year.
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Staircases - Each year in the U.S., roughly 1,600 people die in
stair-related accidents. In conclusion: use the railings!
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Jellyfish - This should go without saying, but if you see a jellyfish,
do NOT touch it. These suckers can have some seriously deadly stings,
causing over 200 deaths around the world every year.
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Beds - Every year, 450 people die just from falling
out of bed. Screw Tempur-Pedic mattresses, I'm sleeping on the floor.
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Fireworks - Seven deaths are caused by fireworks every
year. So when your neighbor tells you he knows what he's doing with his
store-bought fireworks, HE'S LYING TO YOU.
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Furniture - All the more reason to hire movers next
time: 26 people are crushed by heavy furniture each year.
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Coconuts - Coconuts are all well and good, until
they're trying to kill you while on vacation. Don't become one of the
150 people who are killed each year by falling coconuts.
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