There are many more dangerous things to worry about in the U.S. I wouldn't hold up any one web article as proof, but the numbers in here match up with what I've heard before.

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/snakebite/article_em.htm

8000 bites a year from venomous snakes, and only 5-10 fatalities--those are some good survival odds. When you add in that most of those deaths are children (small bodies can't handle as much venom), you are left with the realization that snakes in the U.S. aren't a serious danger to a grown man.

Here's a peer-reviewed overview, if you want to hear it from doctors:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020401/1367.html

Now if you are in Australia, fire away! There are some seriously venomous buggers down there.

For U.S. comparison:
deaths from bee stings - at least 100 a year
lightning - 60 per year
traffic - 42,500 per year