How common are shark attacks?
Shark attacks are extremely rare. An individual is three times more likely to be hit by lightning than to be bitten by a shark. There were an average of 32 shark attacks per year in U.S. waters between 1990 and 2004. Of the 490 attacks during this 15-year span, 11 were fatal. Visit the International Shark Attack File for a comparison of the relative risk of shark attack versus other potential hazards.
