Would you please supply the source of this information?
.
My sources are DAN and PADI.
This from the techdiver web page sums up my point best..."DAN (Divers Alert Network) has statistics of DCS cases in the USA, which is based on DEMA/NUADC and PADI New Diver Benchmark reports. According to them, the probability to get DCS by air diving is about 0.004% (1 to 25000). Based on this number, and on the PADI Undersea Journal 3/97 magazine, the probability to get DCS by air diving even once during 500 dives is 1.98% (1 to 50). The risk is 1.49% in nitrox diving in same amount of dives. So... so far the difference is marginal, even though nitrox seems to be a bit safer. But an accident doesn't have to be DCS only, and when diving with nitrox there are several other concerns too that air diving doesn't have. Gas blending, analyzing errors, oxygen clean equipments, CNS clock etc. may also be a source of accident. In this point I have to say that nitrox diving is not dangerous when done right, but these points have to be counted when people talk about safety. So nitrox diving is safe, but not safer than air, generally speaking."
I realize that these numbers are far from perfect as are the agencies they come from but at the moment they are the best numbers we have for recreational diving accidents.
In the end, slowing down, getting more training, doing safety stops, slower ascents, better hydration, less consumption of alcohol/drugs, working out etc...will all likely lead to fewer DCS cases. Adding nitrox to the average "air only vacation diver" who fails to do these things isn't likely to make them any safer.