The Scuba death rate...

[Cacia]

So, what is the statistic for dives like the ones I will be doing? There are none.

Yes...that's where your brain comes in, right?

For example, the number one cause of death for a pregnant woman is to be murdered by her SO. And yet, through sound decisions, that would not apply to a given individual woman.

Same with handguns. I don't keep mine under the sofa cushion, so don't use gun stats on me...

 

[Thalassamania]

You're seeing through a major problem with statistics: definition of the population, the independent variables and the dependent variables. If you're never deeper than 27 feet your odds of DCS approach zero. If you always have a trigger lock on your gun your odds are closer to those who do not have guns in the house than those who do and don't lock them.

 

[fisherdvm]

I would say diving in a pool is safe, especially if you have a buddy.

Then you add the risk factors:

1. Surface traffic - boat propellers are nasty.
2. Waves - getting banged by the swimming platform on the boat can give you concussions. Waves makes it hard for you to see the boat, and the boats to see you.
3. Currents - will whisk you away from your dive group - and you surface somewhere else, and might get hit by the boat, or get lost in the waves.
4. Visibility - will separate you from your buddy... Forcing you to surface early, and more likely to get hit by your own dive boat (as you are no longer with the larger mass of bubbles).
5. Poor equipment - the BC and reg you bought from ebay might not have been serviced for 10 plus year, and have degraded in the attic heat.
6. Danger on entry and exit - rocks, cuts, waves, etc... One guy I know got his kneed blown out by a wave.

I think a dive in a sheltered boatless shallow bay can be very safe... but not everyone dive in such environment. You always have to be on the defensive to lower your risk.

 

[Thalassamania]

I would say diving in a pool is safe, especially if you have a buddy.

Then you add the risk factors:

1. Surface traffic - boat propellers are nasty.
2. Waves - getting banged by the swimming platform on the boat can give you concussions. Waves makes it hard for you to see the boat, and the boats to see you.
3. Currents - will whisk you away from your dive group - and you surface somewhere else, and might get hit by the boat, or get lost in the waves.
4. Visibility - will separate you from your buddy... Forcing you to surface early, and more likely to get hit by your own dive boat (as you are no longer with the larger mass of bubbles).
5. Poor equipment - the BC and reg you bought from ebay might not have been serviced for 10 plus year, and have degraded in the attic heat.
6. Danger on entry and exit - rocks, cuts, waves, etc... One guy I know got his kneed blown out by a wave.

I think a dive in a sheltered boatless shallow bay can be very safe... but not everyone dive in such environment. You always have to be on the defensive to lower your risk.

That's not the primary reason why people die, but is likely contributory. The majority of people die because they panic and are incapable of performing actions that they had no problem doing when they were in the pool, something as simple as ditching weights, sticking their regulator in their mouth or making a controlled ascent with air in their tank.

 

[nereas]

Absolutely. Although I am affected by what I read, it only serves to make me realize that the training I have received, is not nearly enough to prepare me for what Mr. Murphy can do when he shows up as my buddy....

You have made a really good observation!

To get more diving experience, with good buddies, you can do this:

1) take more courses at your dive shop;
2) go on dive outings with your dive shop;
3) join a dive club and pick a responsible buddy to dive with;
4) ask responsible people who you know who are divers to buddy with you.

Over the years I have done each of these. They were all very rewarding. Occastionally I have met a buddy whom I would never dive with again. With experiece, you can figure out in advance who these people are, based on their discussions before going into the water.

Experience is the main teacher. Preferably guided-discovery experience, with a great guide, such as a good instructor, a seasoned divemaster, or that occasional great buddy.

 

[merxlin]

That's not the primary reason why people die, but is likely contributory. The majority of people die because they panic and are incapable of performing actions that they had no problem doing when they were in the pool, something as simple as ditching weights, sticking their regulator in their mouth or making a controlled ascent with air in their tank.

I believe those also are contributory, but the stats say that most people die because either medically or physically they should not have been diving, sometimes only at that particular time. Diving creates stress on the body (and a lack of ability ot training can increases that stress) then those "weakest link" physicalities take over. There are still deaths from panic and lack of ability, but that is not the primary reason divers die.

 

[nereas]

I believe those also are contributory, but the stats say that most people die because either medically or physically they should not have been diving, sometimes only at that particular time. Diving creates stress on the body (and a lack of ability ot training can increases that stress) then those "weakest link" physicalities take over. There are still deaths from panic and lack of ability, but that is not the primary reason divers die.

I think we are all just guessing. I would guess the pattern falls into thirds.

One-third of all scuba deaths seems to be due to medical conditions that should have precluded diving. Sometimes the extent of the condition is unknown, and therefore becomes a big surprise, the worst kind.

Another third seems to be due to weak skills that led to panic situations. These kind are preventable by obtaining additional training, and avoiding challenging situations in the meantime.

The final third seems to be due to really bad events that would have overcome almost anybody given the same situation. A powerful unexpected current, being run over by a boat, being left behind and lost at sea, those are all events that we hope will never happen.

 

[Thalassamania]

I believe those also are contributory, but the stats say that most people die because either medically or physically they should not have been diving, sometimes only at that particular time. Diving creates stress on the body (and a lack of ability ot training can increases that stress) then those "weakest link" physicalities take over. There are still deaths from panic and lack of ability, but that is not the primary reason divers die.

Actually I don't think that's what the statistics show, though there may be some who interpret them that way.

 

[JohnnyH]

I have to agree with Thalassamania here.

I am a skydiver as well as a diver - and there's a site about (sky) diving fatalities - the where, when, how, and why's of all the (terrible) incidents that happen during skydiving. This is Darwinism at its best, and do I have a skydiving story to tell to drive home that point (private msg me if you want to hear it, in respect of the subject)

Diving - as in SCUBA - is inherently a dangerous sport. But the statistics are skewed because accessibility to it is just so easy - and blame therefore can be lain squarely on the feet of the dive operators (and related instructors) that allow people to undertake diving activities when they aren't properly prepared. (case in point - the nefarious 'resort course')

The success of my career rests on my safety record (as does Thalassamania's) and it is a particularly sore spot with me when I read about senseless injuries that happen due to improper training / preparation, and the damage that happens because of it to the sport I love with all my being...

Best,
John

 

[vondo]

i am using the 190 to 10,000 deaths per registered vehicle figure

since there are likely more registered vehicles than registered divers, the figure is on the conservative side

[edit]

sweet, i found the rate per licensed drivers, which is 210 in 10,000 for 2004

http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/
so ..... 1 in 10,000 for active divers as opposed to 210 in 10,000 for registered drivers

Andy, your math needs work. It is about 22 deaths per 100,000 drivers or 2.2 per 10,000. Also, from an earlier post, 1,000 military fatalites/150,000 soldiers is 67 per 10,000