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JoshuaZ comments on List of underrated risks? - Less Wrong
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In general, the risks to look for in this sort of context are risks that are routine, which causes them to fade into the background. So cars are a really good example because the accidents are routine and the size of any incident is small. A variety of illnesses may fall into this category also: For example, diabetes has serious long-term problems and can have fatal complications. 5-10 percent the US has diabetes.
Cotton swabs are sometimes cited as highly dangerous when used for ear cleaning.Example. It is clear that the danger is underestimated, but the correct level of danger is still very low, on the order of 20 people in the US having a serious ear problem as a result each year (same source). So this is an example where the risk exists and people don't realize it, but the risk is small enough that this doesn't matter.
It guess the risk very strongly depends on how you use them, so the risk for the population in general is not a terribly useful figure by itself.
When a doctor first bugged me about it, I looked it up, and decided that I would much rather take that extremely small risk than have to deal with water in my ears every day.
I tend to pace and to multitask, but I decided a few years ago (and have stuck to the decision pretty well) that whenever I was sticking something pointy in my ear I would stand still and give it my full attention.