Is Diving Dangerous?

Maybe you're wondering whether scuba diving is for you and you're thinking about signing up for a certification course, or maybe you've just got your Open Water (beginner level diver) certification and you're eager to dive more often. You may be asking yourself - is diving safe? Maybe you've heard it is dangerous or hard. Maybe you've even read newspaper stories or seen social media posts about vacationers or locals who have died diving - this certainly makes it seem dangerous. On the other hand, if you listen to some of the leading dive training agencies you'll read things like "diving has an excellent safety record". 

So who should you believe: is diving dangerous or safe? 

The answer is not black and white. Let's look at some statistics to help understand the risk of going for a dive relative to other activites, then we'll take a deeper dive considering qualitative factors that impact your particular risk.

Fatality Rates by Activity

• 1 in 13 million commercial plane flights

• 1 in 7 million car rides 

  • about 1.2 fatalities per 100 million miles driven, 12.2 miles is the average ride length in the US

• 1 in 360 thousand skydives

• 1 in 260 thousand motorcycle rides 

  • 31 per 100 million miles ridden, assume same average trip distance of 12.2 miles

• ~1 in about 50 - 200 thousand scuba dives 

  • 1 in 50,000 dives per https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459389/

  • 1 in 100,000 guided dives (for untrained divers) per https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8426127/

  • Some estimates are closer to 1 in 200,000 

That means on a statistical basis, going on a single scuba dive is about:

• 65-260 times more dangerous than getting on a plane flight 

• 35-140 times more dangerous than going for a car ride 

• 2-7 times as dangerous as a skydive

• 1-5 times as dangerous as a motorcycle ride

Obviously then, scuba diving is NOT perfectly safe. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either ignorant or trying to sell you something. A scuba dive is much riskier than going for a drive in your car, and can even be as dangerous as stereotypically risky activities like riding a motorcycle or skydiving.  

But what about from a qualitative perspective - do we have some influence over whether our particular dives are dangerous or are we doomed to take a 1 in 50 thousand roll of the dice with every dive?

To answer that question let's back up a little bit and use an analogy. Learning to dive is a lot like learning to drive a car. Both activities require you to get some book knowledge to become familiar with your equipment and the "rules of the road" before you ever get "behind the wheel" or in the water. Both activities require that you then get enough practice in real-life situations, under the guidance of a licensed/certified person so that handling your equipment becomes automatic and easy. 

This analogy helps us answer the question of "whether diving is dangerous" in a way that is useful for you as a diver. Ultimately your safety as a diver is largely up to you and factors within your control. Just like when you get behind the wheel as a driver; when you scuba, YOU are the primary person who determines whether your dive is safe or not.  Let's stick with this analogy for a bit.

Conservative drivers who anticipate problems before they become accidents, stay within speed limits, leave a safe following distance, service their vehicles when they needs maintenance, always use safety features like seatbelts and who diligently keep their attention on the road will generally have few accidents and can often "fail safely" when the unexpected happens (for example, emergency braking is more effective if you were going the speed limit compared to if you were speeding).

Driving IS a risky activity, but many drivers manage this risk effectively by applying defensive driving techniques and following the rules of the road. As a result their expected accident rate is lower - and so (usually) are their insurance premiums!

In contrast, less conservative drivers who choose to speed, tailgate, text, drink alcohol, or ignore the rules of the road -are a danger to themselves and an accident waiting to happen. 

Similarly, scuba divers who push (or break) the limits frequently get hurt and, sadly, sometimes pay for their poor judgment with their lives. I say this not to scare you, but to encourage you to be better than the average diver. 

The dangers of diving can be reduced by making conservative choices and continuously improving your decision-making and technical skills - with training and reflection.  In your Open Water dive certification class almost everything you learn is designed to keep you safe. This training is effective, but only if you put it into practice after you're certified. Just like in driving a car, many scuba divers who come to harm underwater have violated one or more of the established best practices for safe diving. Don't be one of these divers.

You may see other divers who have become complacent or believe they are unlikely to make a mistake, so their attitude is "I don't need to do a full, careful, written pre-dive safety check with my buddy. I'm an experienced diver - that's for beginners". Or you may see certified divers who blithely will follow their instructor and guide anywhere - without having any idea where they are, how much gas and no deco time they have remaining, or how to navigate back to the boat/shore.  

Be better.  Proactively cover yourself with layers of safety.

Pre-dive safety checks and other safety guidelines exist for very good reasons. They have been put in place from lessons learned from fatalities and accidents.  Dive professionals can be helpful, but once you're certified YOU should make sure that YOU are responsible for keeping yourself safe on every dive. 

• Plan your dive conservatively within limits

•  know how to handle issues that may arise, know where you are (and how to get back to safety/land/boat)

• know when a dive exceeds the limits of your experience 

• Don't be afraid to skip a dive, end a dive, or get more training or experience before you attempt something you haven't learned to do yet.

One way in which diving differs from driving is that the ocean can be a less forgiving environment. If you don't pay attention to your fuel gauge and your run out of fuel while driving around town your car will stall and you'll be stranded on the side of the road. Not fun, but usually not life threatening.

In contrast, while diving if you run out of gas/air you can drown if you don't quickly find an alternate source. This means you need to follow your training: 

• plan your dives (turn pressure, ascent pressure, reserve pressure) to not run out of gas/air

• monitor your gas supply (and that of your buddy) regularly during every dive

• always have an alternate air source (that tank on your buddy's back is one option - but only if they are nearby and have plenty of gas)

• You will make mistakes - following these steps allow you to notice your mistakes early, correct them, and "fail safely". 

This is what your training is for - it teaches you to safely resolve common and uncommon issues that may arise in diving such as: being low on gas, buddy kicked your mask off, your regulator came out, your mask is leaking. 

OK, here's one more thought on the driving analogy. It is common in diving to take an Open Water course which typically involves just 4 dives in the ocean (or quarry, lake, etc.), and then become a "certified diver". Some divers take this to mean that they can then go and dive wherever they want and that they are now an expert. This is definitely not what it means to be a certified Open Water Diver. 

You Open Water Diver certification is just the start of your journey as a diver - it is a license to learn. Would you ever put your 15-year old teenage daughter behind the wheel of a car, take her for 4 short training drives, and then hand her the keys and say "Congratulations sweetheart! You're now a licensed driver - why don't you take the car and go visit your Aunt in Portland?". Of course not! That would be negligent and dangerous. 

Driving requires many hours of training before a driver is licensed and even then, many jurisdictions only gradually give new drivers the privilege to drive long distances and at certain times. The truth is, when you've finished your Open Water course you are only a beginner diver. You only have a few hours of experience. You have probably only seen a couple of dive sites - and only under certain (usually very favorable conditions). You have practiced dealing with certain simulated issues underwater - but you probably haven't had to yet respond to many actual issues that can arise unexpectedly and without warning. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, it is great to be a beginner seeing the underwater world for the first time. Just remember that you are a beginner and take it easy until you gain more experience and education.  

After you're certified, stay safe by slowly and carefully building up your dive experience in conditions similar (or better) than what you were certified in. Stay within your training depth limits. Get more training by seeking out an "Advanced" course - and eventually - a "Rescue" course from a certified professional. In your advanced course you'll learn how to dive in a variety of different conditions. In a rescue course you'll learn more about how to anticipate small issues before they become big problems - and how to respond to in-water problems and emergencies should they arise. Keep practicing the skills you learned in your Open Water class. Do your full pre-dive/safety check for every dive. Practice clearing your mask, if you partner with a new buddy - take the time to discuss emergency air sharing and practice it with them until it becomes automatic and second nature. Don't become complacent. 

Buddy up with someone who has more experience and a safety-first mindset. If you are diving with someone who has a blatant disregard for safe diving practices and frequently wanders off and leaves you (or surfaces with less than your agreed upon reserve pressure) - stop diving with them and find a more responsible partner. Your buddy is there to help keep you safe and make your diving more enjoyable (and in many cases they are your source of gas if you run out due to an issue or inattention to your supply). If they aren't up for that responsibility don't put your safety at risk by continuing to dive with them. 

Finally, a word about diving here in the Salish Sea (Puget Sound and surrounding areas). We have amazing dive sites here and so much to see and many sites are easily accessible from shore by car! It is a great place to dive. That said, our water is also cold, frequently murky, and we can have strong tidal currents. Divers usually use drysuits here which require extra practice and training to use safely. Our local dive conditions (and the thick, heavy gear we wear to survive in these conditions) can cause problems or induce panic if you aren't used to them. 

Get experience from a trained professional if you haven't been diving in cold-water, limited visibility conditions before you jump into the Salish Sea. Dive more conservatively here than you would if you were in a warm tropical location with 100-foot visibility. Diving in Puget Sound and other areas of the Salish Sea is challenging which makes it fun and exciting. But it also requires a bit of practice, preparation, and a safety-first mindset. 

To return to the driving analogy - it can be fairly safe to drive in tougher conditions like rain, heavy traffic, or even snow - with the right mindset, practices, and equipment. But you wouldn't ever want a brand new driver to experience these conditions for the first time without the help of someone more experienced. Diving is the same. Be honest with yourself about when the conditions are so challenging that it is best to dive another day - and when you might need more training or mentorship. Always respect the limits of your experience and training. 

Here's a paraphrased summary of PADI's safe diving practices - follow ALL of them every time to reduce your risk on each dive. Other training agencies have similar guidelines.

1. Maintain mental and physical fitness for diving - be honest with yourself if you need to get healthier or in better shape before diving.

2. Be familiar with your dive sites.

3. Use complete equipment that is in good working order and with which you are familiar - make sure it is working by performing a thorough pre-dive safety/buddy check before EVERY dive. I use a written checklist so I don't forget steps.

4. Listen to dive briefings and directions from dive professionals, recognize when you may need more training.

5. Adhere to the buddy system (make sure you have a buddy who follows the safety guidelines too!)

6. As a recreational diver, use your dive computer (or dive tables) to stay within no decompression stop limits and always ascend slowly from your dives (PADIs max is 60 ft/min - but research suggests 30 ft/min is a safer max)... the last part of your ascent is where the relative pressure changes most rapidly and your ascent should be the slowest as you approach the surface. 

7. Maintain proper buoyancy - neutral underwater and positive (floating with an inflated BCD) at the surface. This means you need to do a proper weight check to make sure you don't have too much or too little weight. 

8. Never hold your breathe - breathe continuously underwater - particularly when ascending.

9. Use a surface support (float, boat) when possible.

10. Know and obey local dive laws and regulations.