Abstract: ObjectiveTo study the level and chief causes of accidental death of townspeople in Chongqing from 1991 to 2000.MethodsResidents in commercial,cultural and industrial communities in Chongqing were sampled with cluster sampling method to analyse mortality rate of accidentil death,years of potential life lost(YPLL)and valued years of potential life lost(VYPLL).ResultsThe average mortality rate of accidental death was 41.21/10⁵,occupy ing fifth place in all death causes;the YPLL rate was 10.59 years/10³,occupying second place in all death causes;the VYPLL rate was 4.53 years/10³,occupying first place in all death causes.The first five causes of accidental death successively were traffic accident, suicide,killing wound,poisoning and accidental fall.The accidental death occured in industr ial community was more than that in commercial and cultural communities.ConclusionStreng thening safety education and improving safety measures were very important.