Fatality Statistics: Skydiving vs. other activities

[NewGuy 0]

Does anyone know of a good source of Skydiving fatality statistics compared to other sports? I'm after a risk level comparison of skydiving to other sports considered high risk. By good source, I mean something that can be verified and the methods of sampling discussed (as this can dramatically impact the conclusions one draws).

So far the following link is the only reasonable comparitive type reference I can find and it is referenced frequently on the net (google search for 'skydiving statistics'); however, I cannot seem to verify the information and don't know the details on how the sampling (data sources) was done.

http://www.afn.org/skydive/sta/stats.html

The numbers were apparently taken from page 13 of the April 1990 issue of Parachutist (using info put together by the U.S. Hang Gliding Association), which I do not have and cannot therefore confirm. I cannot find anything on the Hang Gliding Assoc's web site or USPA's web site to confirm the sources.

The article states "You can also get fatality stats from just about any almanac or "fact book."" If anyone could point me to a particular Almanac it would be appreciated.

I've done some laymans investigation into stats being compared and in particular for scuba diving. I've found information that leads me to believe that only after the above skydiving statistics information was put together have reasonable statistics on scuba fatalities been prepared (using fills as the basis, rather than participants and it is virtually impossible to determine participants). See http://www.psychodiver.com/files/SpumArtlcv2.pdf - I have been told this is the first study of its kind for scuba.

I'm very interested in the actual risk comparisions (fatalities). Any info that can be provided would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
NewGuy

[darkwing 4]

No real help from me, but you do get a comment. I suspect that the fatality statistics will be relatively easy to get. The problem is how do you compare them? By number of participants, by frequency of participation, by jumber of .... For example. Considering bowling fatalities-- do you consider someone with 100 jumps to be an equivalent participant to someone with 100 bowling games, or is it 100 frames, or is it 100 nights of bowling....

I too am interested in the statistics, as I can probably twist them in arguments with people who say I shouldn't skydive. I recall having read many risk comparisons, and they all suffered from comparing apples to oranges.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[kallend 1,635]

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No real help from me, but you do get a comment. I suspect that the fatality statistics will be relatively easy to get. The problem is how do you compare them? By number of participants, by frequency of participation, by jumber of .... For example. Considering bowling fatalities-- do you consider someone with 100 jumps to be an equivalent participant to someone with 100 bowling games, or is it 100 frames, or is it 100 nights of bowling....

I too am interested in the statistics, as I can probably twist them in arguments with people who say I shouldn't skydive. I recall having read many risk comparisons, and they all suffered from comparing apples to oranges.

Reduction in average life expectancy due to participation at an average level in the various activities will deal with this issue. IIRC, skydiving at 100 jumps/year starting at age 20 reduces life expectancy by 2 years. Smoking a pack a day reduces life expectancy by 6 years.

The caveat here is that in skydiving, a very small number lose a lot of years while the overwhelming majority lose none, but with smoking, most smokers lose a few years.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[mofo554 0]

How do people die bowling? Slipping and falling? Heart attack?

Comparing skydiving to other sports is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. There are few sports I can think of in which the end objective is to literally save your own life. Every time one jumps from a plane, they have only minutes/seconds until impact with the ground. The same can't be said for bowling, baseball, basketball, etc. Skydiving is an inherently risky sport, while bowling, baseball, basketball, etc. are not. While these risks can be mitigated to a certain extent, the fact remains that the risks involved are clear from the beginning.

[Newbie 0]

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IIRC, skydiving at 100 jumps/year starting at age 20 reduces life expectancy by 2 years.

Why? Due to opening shock or something? (not that i would know why that reduces life expectancy). Increased stress levels? Lose of financial viability and eating too much ramen?

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[PhillyKev 0]

I'm thinking he means statistically as a whole if you average the age of death of skydivers it's 2 years lower than the national average.

[JumpCrazy 0]

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IIRC, skydiving at 100 jumps/year starting at age 20 reduces life expectancy by 2 years.

Why? Due to opening shock or something? (not that i would know why that reduces life expectancy). Increased stress levels? Lose of financial viability and eating too much ramen?

I don't think thats what he was trying to get at. See below:

***Reduction in average life expectancy due to participation at an average level in the various activities will deal with this issue.

[Newbie 0]

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IIRC, skydiving at 100 jumps/year starting at age 20 reduces life expectancy by 2 years.

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There is no real shortage of lifespan as a result of skydiving alone.

surely what you have said contradicts what was said above? I'm not trying to be pedantic, i just don't fully understand what is meant here.

The way i have imagined it in my mind is hypothetically you have 2 identical twins - one skydives the other doesn't, aside from that they lead identical lives to a tee. Does that mean that if they die purely as a result of natural causes, one is likely to die at 78 (the skydiving twin) compared to the 80 year old non skydiving sibling?

Am i missing something from this? Man i was never really any good at statistics in maths

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[betzilla 56]

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? I'm not trying to be pedantic, i just don't fully understand what is meant here.

It's like driving a car. Driving a car doesn't in itself shorten your lifespan, but if you campare average age of death between those who drive cars and those who don't (if you can find any of those), the first group will die earlier, on average. It's not a health thing, it's life shortening through accidents. Same with Skydiving.

[Newbie 0]

ah ok i got it now i think. Thanks

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[tbrown 26]

The caveat here is that in skydiving, a very small number lose a lot of years while the overwhelming majority lose none, but with smoking, most smokers lose a few years.

[tombuch 0]

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Does anyone know of a good source of Skydiving fatality statistics compared to other sports?

There really isn't a good source of information. In order to really mean something all the data must be baselined and filtered for type and level of participation. That kind of data doesn't exist.

You can find some interesting numbers in a book called "Injury Facts" published annually by the National Safety Council. They take all the emergency room and OSHA data and compile it into one national report with state breakouts. It's fascinating reading, but doesn't really provide the level of data you are looking for.

You can also pick up a copy of my new book, JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy, published by McGraw-Hill. This book includes a chapter about risk that presents current and 10 year national skydiving statistics, and includes some stats from other sports and activities. CAUTION: You still can't compare apples to oranges.

Tom Buchanan
Author JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[kallend 1,635]

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IIRC, skydiving at 100 jumps/year starting at age 20 reduces life expectancy by 2 years.

Quote

There is no real shortage of lifespan as a result of skydiving alone.

surely what you have said contradicts what was said above? I'm not trying to be pedantic, i just don't fully understand what is meant here.

The way i have imagined it in my mind is hypothetically you have 2 identical twins - one skydives the other doesn't, aside from that they lead identical lives to a tee. Does that mean that if they die purely as a result of natural causes, one is likely to die at 78 (the skydiving twin) compared to the 80 year old non skydiving sibling?

Am i missing something from this? Man i was never really any good at statistics in maths

That's apparent. We're talking about population averages here, not individuals.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[craddock 0]

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Honestly, for active people participating ina such a demanding sport, I'm still amazed at how many jumpers smoke.

Skydiving is by far the least demanding sport I have been involved in.

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[quade 3]

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Skydiving is by far the least demanding sport I have been involved in.

Perhaps, but smoking and high-altitude sports don't usually go together.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Tilion 0]

You've been talking about average life expectancy due to accidents, which is a normal thing to do since accidents have a far greater effect, but what about the average life expactancy due to natural causes. Jumping on an average basis must have sóme effect on your physical state, but then again, it's hard to get figures like that. What I am trying to say; on average if you take someone that doesn't jump and dies of natural causes and one that dóes jump and dies of natural causes, who would live longer?

P.s. This is my first post. Beer anyone?
I was going to go to the introduction bit but maybe I'll do that later. Right now this was on my mind.

[NewGuy 0]

Thanks, Tom. The info is much appreciated.

Cheers,
NewGuy

[jtval 0]

you can go to skydivers handbook. page 110 or 112. I think! they have some numbver crunching there!

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[jtval 0]

here you go! ratio
check out the green highlighted stuff I posted!

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[sarge 0]

Hey New Guy,

Here's a thread from a while back where I presented some information I recalled from a popular aviation magazine. The statistics erupted a discussion about the method used for arriving at the conclusions presented.

Nonetheless... good luck

--
I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!