Introduction - The objective of this study is to measure and characterize deaths from accidents in daily life (AcVC) in France from 2000 to 2002. Method - The results were derived from a list of “accidents” under the External Causes of Injury category of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), expressed in absolute numbers, crude rates, and age-standardized rates. Results - In 2002, there were 20,023 deaths due to AcVC in metropolitan France (standardized rate of 27.9 per 100,000). Excess mortality is observed among men, at 35.6 per 100,000 versus 21.6 per 100,000 among women (sex ratio = 1.6). More than three-quarters of deaths from stroke occurred in people aged 65 and older. Falls (13.8 per 100,000), suffocation (4 per 100,000), drowning (1.6 per 100,000), poisoning (1.3 per 100,000), and fire-related accidents (0.7 per 100,000) were the leading causes of accidental death. The mortality rate from AcVC decreased by 17% between 1989–91 and 2000–02. This decline was most pronounced among those under 25 years of age. Discussion/Conclusion - From 2000 to 2002, AcVC were a major cause of death in France. Many deaths could likely still be prevented through appropriate preventive measures and regulations. (R.A.)