AndyMan 7 #1 July 25, 2003 I've seen a lot of people claim that skydiving is safer then driving... I'm wondering how many believe this. Yes or No? _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 July 25, 2003 I don't think that holds up no matter what version of the stats you want to look at other than maybe total number of fatalities per year.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #3 July 25, 2003 it depends on the situation are you talking per capita? if we even the numbers I would guess not but there's always a different way to skew the statsMy photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andy2 0 #4 July 25, 2003 I feel safer skydiving than I do driving on a busy interstate. But thats just me, I hate driving in traffic. I dont know how any statistics hold up to this, nor do I really care. --------------------------------------------- let my inspiration flow, in token rhyme suggesting rhythm... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #5 July 25, 2003 I do think that I am more likely to die in a traffic accident than I am skydiving only because I drive on the highways everyday and you never know if myself or some other bloke is really paying attention. But I've seen enough close calls in my first year in this sport to know that it's not the safest thing around. So I voted "NO" that skydiving is safer than driving. But I do believe that certain dangers in skydiving are choices. If I was strictly a belly flier who jumped in very small formations and/or if I was a docile canopy pilot jumping a monster canopy in low to moderate winds, then my exposure to danger would be much less than what it is freeflying and learning how to make high performance landings. So our dangers can be managed to a certain level in this sport. I unfortunately take much pleasure in the more dangerous aspects of this sport in learning how to freefly and learning high performaqnce landings (which both have yielded close + wake up calls to myself). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #6 July 25, 2003 QuoteI feel safer skydiving than I do driving on a busy interstate. But thats just me, I hate driving in traffic. I dont know how any statistics hold up to this, nor do I really care. I feel the same way especially in vegas on the weekends..but i dont know if that feeling counts as the stats hes lookin for I feel that way b/c during a skydive you kinda have a feeling of what everyone is doing. there are fewer people around you and basically your safety is up to you. (I know there is no such thing a a 100% statement thats why I emphasized basically) I wont get into all the possible dangers- we all know them. I just feel safer in the skyMy photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #7 July 25, 2003 I agree. I can't understand how anyone who has even the most basic understanding of statistics can claim this to be even remotely true. Yet, I hear it pretty frequently. An example right here. excerpt: I went through all the statistics arguments about it being safer than driving to the mall, etc.. I'm wondering if people really, honestly believe this. My personal belief, is that skydiving can only approach being somewhat safe after you've acknowledged that it will never be. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lazyfrog 0 #8 July 25, 2003 it's safer for me to jump than driving to the DZ---------- Fumer tue, péter pue ------------- ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #9 July 25, 2003 QuoteI don't think that holds up no matter what version of the stats you want to look at other than maybe total number of fatalities per year. Over the years, how many people that you knew died in a car and how many died skydiving? SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #10 July 25, 2003 In the 3 years I've been jumping: jumping: 2 driving: 0 _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #11 July 25, 2003 Unfortunately, this only proves my point. By that standard skydiving is far, far less safe. I've only been in the sport for about 5.5 years and it's very sad to say I've known far more people that have died from skydiving in that time than from car accidents.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JDBoston 0 #12 July 25, 2003 I think it's just something people tell whuffos sometimes to get them off our backs about the danger issue. I would hope that not that many people actually believe it. I remember reading somewhere that your chances of dying on 1 jump are about equal to your chances of dying on a 400-mile drive. The one nice thing about skydiving in comparison to something like highway driving is that most of the danger comes from/is handled by you yourself, and you're not quite as likely to die because of someone else's fuckup. I think. Joe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blahr 0 #13 July 25, 2003 If compared to my wifes driving, then skydiving is MUCH safer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #14 July 25, 2003 I think these are more pointed questions: How many skydivers do you know that have died skydiving vs. skydivers that died in car accidents? How many skydivers to you know that have been injured skydiving vs. injured in car accidents? Then decide which is safer... My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivegirl 0 #15 July 25, 2003 QuoteI think these are more pointed questions: How many skydivers do you know that have died skydiving vs. skydivers that died in car accidents? How many skydivers to you know that have been injured skydiving vs. injured in car accidents? That doesn't make much sense. You'd need to compare the deaths per exposures. example: Number of fatalities per 1 million skydives and Number of fatalities per 1 million car rides. That would give you numbers you can use.Pink Mafia Sis #26 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,098 #16 July 25, 2003 QuoteQuoteI don't think that holds up no matter what version of the stats you want to look at other than maybe total number of fatalities per year. Over the years, how many people that you knew died in a car and how many died skydiving? Sparky I've been driving 41 years and knew 2 people that died in road traffic accidents. I've been skydiving 6 years and knew 6 people that died skydiving. I know far more drivers than skydivers. Any actuarially valid way of making the comparison, skydiving is more dangerous. (Edited to add another skydiving fatality that I missed first time I counted).... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ira 0 #17 July 25, 2003 Stats is really a game. There are many ways to skew stats to get the answers you want. Both are dangerous, but lets see what people think about this: How many times have you practiced your safety procedures for your car... Wait, do you have safety procedures for your car I mean if 9 out of 10 dentists prefer Trident..... Is it the weekend yet?? Ira Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #18 July 25, 2003 Quote Stats is really a game. There are many ways to skew stats to get the answers you want. Actually, stats is a pretty regimented science. Those who understand it can easily spot that ones that've been skewed. _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #19 July 25, 2003 Actaully, I think that my system points out dramatically how much more unsafe skydiving is. My method assumes that all skydivers drive, thus taking out a variable in the comparison. Once you look at only skydivers (most of whom have driven more often than they jump) and compare how they die or get injured, my guess is that more injuries have come from the sport than the sportcar. Is the skydiving culture focused on safety? ABSOLUTELY! But skydiving is not safe. Not by a longshot. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kramer 0 #20 July 25, 2003 Interesting thread. Sure, skydiving isn't safer than driving. But if you look at deaths per participant, it is safer than Hot Air Balloon rides, SCUBA Diving, Bungee Jumping, and Hangliding. So yeah, it's a dangerous sport. But when practiced in a safe manner, it is far less dangerous than most other extreme sports (obviously, I don't consider riding in a hot air balloon an extreme sport, but you know what I mean). -Kramer The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #21 July 25, 2003 Quote That doesn't make much sense. You'd need to compare the deaths per exposures. example: Number of fatalities per 1 million skydives and Number of fatalities per 1 million car rides. That would give you numbers you can use. Or how about deaths per mile. It would be interesting to see skydiving compared to drunk driving in those terms.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivegirl 0 #22 July 25, 2003 I ran across a government site a long time ago that had some info like this. As I recall it had something listed about 2 hundred something fatalities per 1 million car rides (I don't think it was listed in miles). I wonder if someone could find it. I'm sure it's been updated & is floating around the web somewhere. The site had all kinds of different activities listed... like commercial plane trips, skiing, smoking, parachuting activites (not specifically skydiving), using an unvented space heater, eating peanut butter, etc. It was interesting. I wish I had bookmarked the site . edit: ok I just emailed my old Risk Assessment professor about the website. Hopefully he still has it somewhere. I'll keep you posted. Pink Mafia Sis #26 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #23 July 26, 2003 QuoteI ran across a government site a long time ago that had some info like this. As I recall it had something listed about 2 hundred something fatalities per 1 million car rides (I don't think it was listed in miles). I wonder if someone could find it. I'm sure it's been updated & is floating around the web somewhere. There is an annual review of safety data called "Injury Facts" published by the National Safety Council. The data you are looking for probably comes from that publication, but NSC doesn't offer the data on line directly. Hard copies of NSC publications can be purchased at http://www.nsc.org. Injury Facts is 178 page paper booklet that sells for about USD 49.00, and it is a fascinating read. You can find some good stats covering skydiving and a few other activities in "Parachuting-The Skydivers Handbook" by Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff. I believe that book is scheduled for a new edition later this summer. I have also included a chapter about risk that features many of the NSC stats in JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Both books are available at major retailers and on line vendors, and some of the larger DZ's probably have a copy you can look at for free. The long and the short of the skydiving Vs. driving argument is that driving is far, far safer. With that in mind I like to remain vigilant at all times, and I try to remember that the most dangerous thing a skydiver can do, is to forget that skydiving is dangerous. Tom Buchanan Author JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and EasyTom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
winsor 236 #24 July 26, 2003 QuoteI've seen a lot of people claim that skydiving is safer then driving... I'm wondering how many believe this. Yes or No? _Am Driving is more dangerous than skydiving. Well, at least if you are driving to the hospital to get your stomach pumped after finding that the aspirin you washed down with tequila were actually quaaludes, and you only have a car with bald tires and bad brakes at the top of the mountain with winding roads without guardrails between you and medical attention. Under normal conditions, however, skydiving is one hell of a lot more dangerous than driving. Blue skies, Winsor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #25 July 26, 2003 QuoteQuote That doesn't make much sense. You'd need to compare the deaths per exposures. example: Number of fatalities per 1 million skydives and Number of fatalities per 1 million car rides. That would give you numbers you can use. Or how about deaths per mile. It would be interesting to see skydiving compared to drunk driving in those terms. But then you would have to compare drunk skydiving to drunk driving. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
