INSEE analyzed all deaths on French soil between 2004 and 2023. Over the last twenty years, they observed in particular that contrary to what one might think, elderly people die less in summer, and that on 3 January was the day of the year with the most deaths.
What day do people die the most of the year? Although the question may seem surprising, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) has the answer! It’s January 3, this Friday.
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Viruses and psychological factors
Every year, on January 3, an average of 1,900 people die, compared to 1,600 on other days. This peak can be explained firstly because there are more deaths in winter, particularly among the elderly, due to viruses such as Covid-19 or the flu. But these New Year deaths would also have another explanation, explains Chloé Tavan of INSEE.
“It is a day which follows the end-of-year holidays, Christmas and New Year’s Day in particular. We can think that there are factors of a psychological nature which will play a role behind it, what we call the postponement of the death of a person who is ill or at the end of life and who could delay the inevitable to enjoy an additional moment of conviviality with family”, she analyzes.
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Attention au “Birthday effect”
Besides, your birthday is also one of the deadliest days of the year. “This result has been called Birthday effect or the birthday syndrome. We can think that for the youngest, it will be more a time of risky behavior, road accidents, falls, but also cardio accidents vascular problems for people perhaps of intermediate ages, linked to excessive alcohol consumption”, explains the specialist.
Conversely, on August 15, few deaths were recorded. The Institute has noticed that fewer people die on public holidays, particularly in hospitals. This is because fewer surgical procedures are planned during leave.
