Is Skydiving Safer Than Driving?

Is skydiving safer than driving? The answer is surprising: statistically speaking, yes, skydiving is safer than driving. As you get behind the wheel for your daily commute, you may not even bat an eye, but did you know it's far more "dangerous" than jumping out of a "perfectly good airplane." It's true. Because of the routine created by our daily commute, the trips we take to the grocery store, or drives to and fro for coffees, lunch dates, and evening meetups, the risk of driving is buried in tedium. Nevermind, the majority of time spent on the road is time spent dangerously distracted. Now, if you mention skydiving, nine out of ten will see making the leap as considerably more threatening than an easy Sunday drive.

Is skydiving safe?

Skydiving is an extreme activity, and as such, there are certain risks associated with it. However, from technological advances and thorough training to regulations and equipment maintenance, much has been done to mitigate the risks presented by skydiving. You don't have to take our word for it: we'll just let the numbers speak for themselves.

You Can't Dis Skydiving Statistics

Numbers don't lie. As the sport of skydiving has developed, it's safety record has, likewise, improved. In 2019, out of approximately 3.3 million skydives, 15 skydiving fatalities were recorded. Statistically, that is one fatality per 220,301 jumps. Tandem skydiving has a record that is even more reassuring. Over the past decade, there has been one student fatality per 500,000 tandem jumps. Hard as it may be to believe, according to the numbers presented by the National Safety Council, you are more likely to be killed getting struck by lightning or stung by a bee. You can find skydiving safety statistics updated yearly here.

While skydiving statistics will come as a pleasant surprise, driving statistics act as a grim dose of reality. According to data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019 there were 36,096 fatalities from motor vehicle crashes. A side by side comparison of the two data pools, leaves a harrowing impression.

*Data Sources USPA and NHTSA

What is the takeaway here?

Every Life Worth Living Is Full Of Risk

Our intent is not to leave you hiding beneath the covers afraid to face the risks of another day. Instead, we would like to share a bit of sage advice: living a risk-free life is impossible, so why not make the risks you take worth it? Trying to remove all risk at the expense of truly enriching experiences means you'll probably miss out on the best things that life has to offer. The key to the whole balancing act is to take informed, calculated risks with a life-affirming payoff.

Rest Assured

Skydive Long Island is dedicated to safety, and it's at the forefront of everything we do. Not only are we a group member dropzone in good standing with the United States Parachute Association, but from our fleet of aircraft to our skydiving equipment, we ensure everything is maintained to the guidelines and specifications set forth by the Federal Aviation Administration. While all risks cannot be eradicated, we do all we can to manage the ones within our control.

If you have any lingering questions regarding our commitment to safety or anything else, we're here to answer them. Don't hesitate, give us a call Skydive Long Island today.