SafeWise compiled this list with your welfare in mind because being informed about safety and security risks is the first step to protecting yourself—and the ones you love—from danger. After reading these safety and security facts, explore the SafeWise blog for proactive measures you can take to help your family stay safe.
Property Crime Statistics and Facts:
- In 2015, a property crime occurred every 3.9 seconds in the US. 1
- Approximately twenty-five property crimes were reported per 1,000 inhabitants in 2015. 2
- The number of property crimes committed in 2015 totaled about eight million—this is 2.6% less than 2014’s total.3
- More than $12.4 billion worth of property was reported stolen in 2015, and only 26.1% was recovered.4 Read our tips to increase your chances of getting your stolen goods back.
- Of all property crimes reported in the United States in 2015, 42.2% occurred in the South, followed by the West with 26.6%, the Midwest with 19.3%, and the Northeast with 11.9%.5
- A robbery occurs every 1.6 seconds in the United States.6
- Sources:
- FBI: UCR, “Crime Clock”
- FBI: UCR, “Property Crime”
- FBI: UCR, “Property Crime”
- FBI: UCR, “Table 24”
- FBI: UCR, “Table 3”
- FBI: UCR, “Crime Clock”
Burglary Statistics and Facts:
- More than 4,300 burglaries happen every day—or nearly 1.6 million annually—in the United States.1 Use our Home Security Checklist to make your home less vulnerable to a break-in.
- A burglary occurs every twenty seconds in the United States.2
- About 72% of all burglaries reported in 2015 were on residential property.3
- Historically, the risk of burglary is higher for rental properties than occupant-owned properties.4 If you rent, consider the advantages of a wireless security system.
- The average dollar loss per burglary increased from $2,120 in 2011 to $2,316 in 2015.5,6 Most home security systems don’t cost nearly this much, and they can help prevent a burglary from occurring in the first place.
- Roughly 58% of all burglaries involved forcible entry.7
- Damaging, removing, or destroying a door is the most common type of entry used in burglaries.8 Install a SafeWise-recommended high-security door to make your home less penetrable.
- Burglars gain entry via open or unlocked doors or windows in more than half of all unoccupied residential break-ins.9 Add a smart lock to your home automation and home security system to control your door locks remotely.
- The rate of household burglaries tends to be highest in summer and lowest in winter or spring.10 Learn how to properly secure your home before vacation.
- Police solve about 13% of all reported burglaries, mostly due to a lack of witnesses or physical evidence.11 Find out how your monitored home security system might help catch a burglar.
- In 2015, 52% of all residential burglaries (in which a time was reported) occurred during the daytime.12 Install interior and exterior motion-activated home security cameras so you can see what’s going on in and around your home when you’re away.
- Being the victim of a home burglary can increase the risk of future victimization for burglary, as offenders often target the same residence more than once.13
- Sources:
- FBI: UCR, “Burglary”
- FBI: UCR, “Crime Clock”
- FBI: UCR, “Burglary”
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Victimization During Household Burglary”
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Financial Loss Due to Household Burglary Increased from 1994 to 2011”
- FBI: UCR, “Burglary”
- FBI: UCR, “Burglary”
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Victimization During Household Burglary”
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Victimization During Household Burglary”
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Seasonal Patterns in Criminal Victimization Trends”
- FBI: UCR, “Clearances”
- FBI: UCR, “Table 7”
- PDXScholar, “Prevention of Residential Burglary: A Review of the Literature”
Assault Statistics and Facts:
- Between 2003 and 2007, a household member was present in roughly one million burglaries and became a victim of violence about 26% of the time.1
- In 65.1% of all violent burglaries committed from 2003 to 2007, the perpetrators and victims knew each other.2
- The highest rate of burglaries committed with a household member present occur in homes occupied by single females with children.3
- In 2015, a violent crime—including aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery—occurred every 26.3 seconds.4
- Nearly four violent crimes were reported per 1,000 Americans in 2015.5
- The total number of reported violent crimes increased 3.9% from 2014 to 2015,6 with reports of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter increasing almost 11%.7
- The South reported more incidents of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter than any other region of the country, while the Northeast reported the fewest.8
- Sources:
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Victimization During Household Burglary”
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Victimization During Household Burglary”
- Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Victimization During Household Burglary”
- FBI: UCR, “Crime Clock”
- FBI: UCR, “Violent Crime”
- FBI: UCR, “Violent Crime”
- FBI: UCR, “Murder”
- FBI: UCR, “Table 3”
Fire Safety Statistics and Facts:
- A home structure fire was reported every eighty-six seconds in 2015 in the US.1 SafeWise recommends installing a smart smoke alarm as part of your home security system so emergency personnel are alerted to a potential fire even if you’re not home.
- In 2015, an estimated $14.3 billion in property was lost in US fires.2 Store valuable and irreplaceable items in a fire-resistant safe to help protect them from damage.
- Three out of every five deaths caused by home fires occur on properties with no—or inoperable—smoke alarms.3 Learn how to properly install and maintain your home’s smoke detectors.
- The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.4 Review our Smoke Alarm Buyers Guide to find the best smoke detector for your home.
- The majority—70%—of smoke alarm failures are caused by missing, disconnected, or dead batteries.5
- More home structure fires take place in January than any other month. The fewest fires are reported in June, July, August, and September.6
- Between 2010 and 2014, 46% of all US residential building fires were caused by cooking-related incidents.7
- Home electrical fires account for an estimated 15,000 fires each year.8 Learn common household electrical hazards and how to fix them.
- Sources:
- National Fire Protection Association, “Fires in the US”
- National Fire Protection Association, “Fire Statistics”
- National Fire Protection Association, “Smoke Alarms in US Home Fires”
- National Fire Protection Association, “Smoke Alarms in US Home Fires”
- National Fire Protection Association, “Smoke Alarms in US Home Fires”
- National Fire Protection Association, “Fire Causes by Month”
- National Fire Protection Association, “Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment”
- National Fire Protection Association, “Electrical Fires”
Home Security Statistics and Facts
- As of 2010, there were an estimated eighteen million home security systems installed in the US.1
- A 2003 study showed that United Kingdom homes without any security devices are 2.7 times more likely to be burglarized than homes with security measures in place.2
- About 60% of convicted burglars say the presence of an alarm would cause them to seek a different home to burglarize.3
- ADT has 6.6 million customers, which is more than any other US home security company.4
- The average amount of stolen property from a burglarized home totals $2,316.5 In contrast, you can get a home security system for as little as twenty dollars per month.
- Some homeowners insurance providers offer discounts up to 20% when homeowners install home security systems.6
- Frontpoint is one of the only nationwide security providers with 100%-wireless equipment and 100%-cellular monitoring. Find out more about Frontpoint home security packages.
- Sources:
- The New York Times, “Weighing the Value of a Home Security System”
- Ministry of Justice, “The Nature and Prevention of Residential Burglary: A Review of the International Literature with An Eye Toward Prevention in Denmark”
- Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation, “Understanding Decisions to Burglarize from the Offender’s Perspective”
- Investopedia, “ADT: Who Are ADT Corporation’s Main Competitors?”
- FBI: UCR, “Burglary”
- Insurance Information Institute, “Twelve Ways to Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Costs”
Family, Child, and Baby Safety Statistics and Facts
- Unintentional suffocation is the most frequent cause of injury deaths for children up to one year of age.1
- Unintentional drowning is the leading cause of injury deaths for children one to four years old.2 And sadly, three children die every day from drowning.3
- Annually, nearly ninety children drown inside the home, with about 65% of these deaths occurring in bathtubs.4
- The number of emergency room (ER) visits for playground-related traumatic brain injuries has increased in recent years.5 Read our tips for making your backyard a safer place to play.
- In 2015, there were nearly 100,000 ATV-related ER-treated injuries in the United States, almost 30% of which involved children younger than sixteen.6
- More than 86,000 unintentional poisoning incidents occurred in children under five in 2015.7 And poisoning kills about two children younger than nineteen years old daily.8
- Of poisoning incidents involving children, 90% occur in the home.9 Review our guide to poison proofing your home to create a safer household for your children.
- More than half of the states in the US are at moderate to high risk from earthquakes, and they are located all around the country.10
- Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States.11
- Sources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “10 Leading Causes of Injury Deaths by Age Group Highlighting Unintentional Injury Deaths, United States—2014”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “10 Leading Causes of Injury Deaths by Age Group Highlighting Unintentional Injury Deaths, United States—2014”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Drowning Prevention”
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission, “In-Home Drowning Information Center”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Playground Safety”
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission, “2015 Annual Report of ATV-Related Deaths and Injuries”
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Unintentional Pediatric Poisoning Estimates for 2015”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Poisoning Prevention”
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Poison Prevention Information Center”
- National Geographic, “Earthquake Maps Reveal Higher Risks for Much of US”
- FEMA, “The National Flood Insurance Program”
Older Adult Safety Statistics and Facts
- One in four people sixty-five or older fall each year.1 Make your loved one’s home safer by installing grab bars, securing rugs, and illuminating dark areas.
- Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury death for people sixty-five years and older.2 Panic pendants—which are available as part of many monitored home security systems—can help your loved one get care quickly in the case of a fall or other emergency.
- The highest prescription painkiller overdose rate occurs among middle-aged adults.3 Home safety devices like automated pill dispensers can help prevent accidental overdoses.
- Compared to five other age groups, people eighty-five years and older have the second-highest rate of suicide. This age group accounts for 19.4% of all reported suicides.4
- The risk of being involved in a traffic accident begins to increase at age seventy and is highest among drivers eighty-five and older.5
- Sources:
- National Council on Aging, “Falls Prevention Facts”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “10 Leading Causes of Injury Deaths by Age Group Highlighting Unintentional Injury Deaths, United States—2014”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Prescription Painkiller Overdoses in the US”
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, “Suicide Statistics”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Older Adult Drivers”
Carbon Monoxide Statistics and Facts
- About 400 people in the Unites States die every year from accidental non-fire related carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.1 Learn the dangers of CO and consider enhancing your monitored home security system with a CO detector to reduce the risk of poisoning.
- In 2014, twenty-eight people died from CO incidents involving portable generators.2
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends installing a battery-operated or battery-backup CO detector near every sleeping area in your home.3 Reference our Carbon Monoxide Detector Buyers Guide to find the best CO detector for your family.
- Due to the dangers of CO, twenty-seven states require homes to have CO detectors.4
- Sources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Prevent Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning”
- Consumer Product Safety Commission, “Incidents, Deaths, and In-Depth Investigations Associated with Non-Fire Carbon Monoxide from Engine-Driven Generators and Other Engine-Driven Tools, 2004-2014”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning”
- National Conference of State Legislatures, “Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirements, Laws, and Regulations”
Auto Statistics and Facts
- Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for people ages five to twenty-four.1
- Each day in the United States, nearly ten people are killed—and more than 1,000 are injured—in crashes reported to involve a distracted driver. Drivers under the age of twenty are involved in the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.2
- Sadly, twenty-eight people in the United States die every day in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver. That’s one death every fifty-three minutes.3
- In 2014, more than 600 children under the age of twelve died in a motor vehicle accident, and 35% of these children were not restrained in any way.4 Take a look at our Best Car Seats Buyers Guide for a comprehensive review of the top booster and car seats.
- Sources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “10 Leading Causes of Injury Deaths by Age Group Highlighting Unintentional Injury Deaths, United States—2014”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Distracted Driving”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Impaired Driving”
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Child Passenger Safety: Get the Facts”
These safety and security facts are a bit unnerving, but there are plenty of things you can do to help avoid you or a loved one becoming another statistic. Start by keeping up to date with safety tips and other resources from the SafeWise blog and increase the security of your home with a SafeWise-recommended monitored home security system.
