Vending machine deaths

[blinkingblinking]

I have heard that 50 people die each year from tilting vending machines and the machines fall on them. Does anyone have a reputable cite for this?

[Random]

Such deaths do happen, but your 50 per year figure may be a bit high. Maybe not, though. Here's a cite to a 1995 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission release that states that it is "aware of at least 37 deaths and 113 injuries since 1987" resulting from such machines tipping over.

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/PRHTML96/96011.html

That'd only work out to about 4 or 5 deaths per year, but (a) presumably, these are U.S. deaths only; and (b) the CPSC would not necessarily be aware of all such incidents. So, worldwide, I can't rule out the 50 deaths per year figure.

[AskNott]

"Nice round numbers" is one clue that moves up the needle on my BS meter. They're unusual in real life. :dubious:

[friedo]

"Nice round numbers" is one clue that moves up the needle on my BS meter. They're unusual in real life. :dubious:

Studies indicate that as many as one in ten mumbers may end with a zero.

[kniz]

Studies indicate that as many as one in ten mumbers may end with a zero.
And further studies indicate that at least one in ten of those numbers that end with a zero, a 5 preceeds said zero. :rolleyes:

[blinkingblinking]

Noone else have an answer for this one ? I am surprised.

[blinkingblinking]

I was just approximating 50 as I cannot remember the study properly. If I did I would have said 49.37.

[Triskadecamus]

Well, only one person I ever met has died from having a soda machine fall on him. I might not have been told about it in some cases. I am 60.

Tris

[Triskadecamus]

On thinking about it, one soda machine I know of died of multiple gun shot wounds. Not sure how that correlates.

Tris

[Wee Bairn]

What about the one where some large amount of people die each year from falling coconuts?

[gigi]

deathdata.org (http://deathdata.org/) says an average of two per year in the US. This PDF (http://deathdata.org/) mentions a child who was fatally electrocuted when trying to buy a soda.

How about amputations from trying too hard to reach the stuck item?

[pretend my name is witty]

How about amputations from trying too hard to reach the stuck item?

They'll grow back, right...?

[Frylock]

PDF[/url] mentions a child who was fatally electrocuted when trying to buy a soda.

How about amputations from trying too hard to reach the stuck item?

Jesus! Another reason not to let my kid have sodas...

-FrL-