Accidents are responsible for nearly half of all college-age male deaths. College-age African American males are 4 times more likely to die an accidental death than their female peers. Three out of every 4 accidental deaths among those of college age are due to motor vehicle accidents. The motor vehicle death rate for college-age African American males is nearly 4 times that of their female peers. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death.
Males also have significantly higher injury rates than females.
For males in general, aged 1 to 44, injuries account for more death and disability than all communicable diseases and other conditions combined. There are, for example, an estimated 3 to 5 million sports injuries annually and the vast majority are sustained by men. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for college-age African Americans. Five out of every 6 suicides among those of college-age are males. The death rate for suicide among college-age African American males is 6 times that of their female peers.