Snake Bite Statistics

from Texas Department of State Health Services

  • About 7,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in the United States annually.
  • Only 0.2% (1 out of 500) venomous snakebites result in death.
  • On average, 1 to 2 people in Texas die each year from venomous snakebites.
  • Roughly half of all venomous snakebites are “dry.” That is, the snake does not inject venom into the victim.

Annual human deaths from selected outdoor activities in Texas, 1978-2001

YearAutoDrowningNondrown
Boating
Firearms
related
LightningVenomous
Arthropod
Snakebite

1978

4,140 510 93 196 11 5 1
1979 3,981 495 86 164 5 6 2
1980 4,295 494 86 199 5 2 1
1981 4,580 452 70 222 4 5 1
1982 4,199 472 78 250 13 2 2
1983 3,899 500 93 200 5 5 0
1984 4,030 375 61 203 5 5 0
1985 3,824 443 70 218 6 4 1
1986 3,712 436 60 172 6 3 3
1987 3,315 396 63 141 2 5 1
1988 3,460 359 62 154 9 3 0
1989 3,476 337 62 172 2 3 2
1990 3,309 327 53 171 6 3 1
1991 3,180 340 50 179 6 8 0
1992 3,147 352 62 174 3 2 0
1993 3,184 344 57 156 4 2 0
1994 3,307 281 60 116 9 6 0
1995 3,302 310 54 84 6 8 2
1996 3,925 281 51 77 5 6 2
1997 3743 288 81 78 6 9 0
1998 3748 327 57 74 5 2 0
1999 3055 246 44 66 6 3 1
2000 3807 241 59 58 4 5 1
2001 3922 207 52 59 4 6 1