Introduction Accidents in daily life (ADL) represent a major public health issue. Each year in mainland France, they result in more than 21,000 deaths and several hundred thousand hospitalizations. Data from the Health and Social Protection Survey (ESPS) were analyzed with two objectives in mind: i) to measure the incidence rates of accident victims in mainland France in 2012; ii) to identify factors associated with AcVC. Methods The ESPS survey was conducted on a random sample of the general population in metropolitan France in 2012. Data were initially collected through face-to-face or telephone interviews, followed by self-administered questionnaires among recipients of health insurance and members of their households. The analyses focused on a sample of 16,410 respondents to the self-administered questionnaire, which included a module on stroke. Results Incidence rates of stroke in mainland France in 2012 were established: 4.8% of people of all ages had experienced a stroke in the past three months. Several factors associated with the occurrence of a stroke were identified among those aged 15 and older: having a risk-taking disposition, being young, having an educational level higher than a high school diploma, and being in relatively poor health. Discussion The incidence results obtained from the ESPS in 2012 are similar to those from the 2004 ESPS. The factors associated with the occurrence of a CVA are generally the same as those found in the literature. Multivariate analyses also identified associations rarely found in the literature on CVAs. A risk-taking disposition appears to increase the likelihood of experiencing a CVA in general and a sports and leisure accident in particular; frequent sports participation is associated with an increased risk of sports and leisure accidents. These associations need to be confirmed and clarified with a view to implementing preventive measures.