An accident is an unplanned and unintended event that often results in a negative outcome. Common types of accidents like car crashes and fires are investigated to identify their root causes and prevent future occurrences. However, truly random accidents may not have an identifiable cause. Traffic accidents and falls are the leading causes of injuries requiring medical care. Data from the US shows that falls, poisoning, and burns are the most frequent causes of accidental death. Various government agencies collect injury statistics to help prevent accidents.

1. Accident
An accident or a mishap is an incidental and unplanned event or
circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity. It usually
implies a generally negative outcome which might have been
avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the
accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its
occurrence. Injury prevention refers to activities designed to
foresee and avoid accidents.
Accidents of particularly common types (crashing of automobiles,
events causing fire, etc). are investigated to identify how to avoid
them in the future. This is sometimes called root cause analysis,
but does not generally apply to accidents that cannot
be deterministicallypredicted. A root cause of an uncommon and
purely random accident may never be identified, and thus future
similar accidents remain "accidental."
List of preventable causes of death
Incidence of accidents (of a severity of resulting in seeking medical
care), sorted by activity (in Denmark in 2002).
Traffic accidents and falls are the most common causes of
physical traumas or injuries leading to hospital care. According to a
2005 survey of injuries sustained at home, which used data from
the National Vital Statistics System of the United StatesNational
Center for Health Statistics, falls, poisoning, and fire/burn injuries
are the most common causes of death. The United States also
collects statistically valid injury data (sampled from 100 hospitals)
through the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System
administered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This
program was revised in 2000 to include all injuries rather than just
injuries involving products. Data on emergency room visits is also
collected through theNational Health Interview Survey. In The U.S.
the Bureau of Labor Statistics has available on their website
extensive statistics on workplace accidents.