Public policy dictates the health risks the public routinely takes  Statistical arguments about health risks are used primarily to deflect public fears, while contributing little to policy debate
For example, statistics are cited to imply that wearing a seat belt reduces one' s risk of death in an automobile accident, deflecting attention from the fact that a transportation policy that promotes increasing use of automobiles inherently increases any individual' s risk of death in an automobile accident
Statistics indicate that the average life expectancy of males is shorter than that of females. When one accounts for the fact that females smoke less and are less likely to work in jobs in the chemical and manufacturing industries, the difference in life expectancy is narrowed.