One source says of 4620 R-22 built, at the time the stats were compiled in June 2010, there had been 182 fatal accidents from a total of 1230 accidents. 27% accident rate.
The early years weigh heavily on the overall stat's. Per wikipedia: "...after the introduction of the Robinson Pilot Safety Course, the rate of fatal R22 accidents declined from 3.7 per 100,000 flight hours in 1983 to 0.97 per 100,000 flight hours for the 12 months preceding July 1995. Robinson’s statistics show the rate of fatal R22 accidents per 100,000 flight hours fell from 6.0 in 1982 to 0.7 in 1997."
Things are much improved now that people have a better handle on how to fly them, instruct in them, maintain them, and now that Robinson has made some improvements to the design.
As long as they remain legal people will fly the heck out of them because they are least expensive certificated helicopters to own and to fly. The lure of the sky is strong, as we all know, and generally stronger than the desire to be as safe as possible. For all of you lucky enough to be able to learn in more expensive equipment, or in the military, more power to you. For the rest of us clearly the trade-off is worth it or we wouldn't do it. And, I suspect, the idea of grounding the Robinson fleet would be seen as usurping the right to judge risk for one's self by nearly the entire population of Robinson pilots and operators.
It's interesting where people draw the line at the assumption of personal risk, particularly when money is involved. I live in a place where neither seat belts nor motorcycle helmets are required. I like that. I like that a lot. I like such personal freedom. And yet I wear both. But, obviously, I do fly Robinsons. However, I suspect that if seat belts cost $10,000/year, I might not wear them!