Shark Week Got You Scared? Learn the Truth About Shark Attacks

Sharks get a bad rap and if you’ve ever been attacked by one, you’d probably say they deserve it. But here’s the rub: If you haven’t been attacked by a shark, chances are you never will.

According to this handy infographic put together by Jerry James Stone and Chris Rooney for the Mother Nature Network, just 1,049 Americans have been attacked by sharks over the 428 year period between 1580 and 2008. Of the 1,049  only 49 resulted in fatalities.Contrast that with the fact that roughly 75 million Americans visit the beach every year and it’s easy to see just how slim the odds are.