Kiting Fatalities ... how many?

[ricki]

54 kiteboarder deaths worldwide have been reported to date since 2000.


How do kiteboarding accident fatality rates compare to that of other activities in the USA?

Motor Vehicle 15 per 100,000 *
Kitesurfing 6 to 12 per 100,000 ** 1
SCUBA diving 5 per 100,000 ***
Pedestrian 2 per 100,000 *

So, kiteboarding might be interpreted to safer than driving in the USA by this limited statistical indication. A more sensitive index would be offered by losses per hours kiteboarded just as in the case of losses per driving hours. No recognized estimates are currently available regarding hours kiteboarded vs. skill/years riding vs. time of year, etc..



* WISQARS www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars (2003)
** http://fksa.org/ (pending, 2006)
*** http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/me...port/index.asp (2003)

1. Three kiteboarders were lost in the USA in 2005. Using estimated rider populations in the USA (25 to 50 thousand that own kiteboarding gear), this equates to roughly 6 to 12 fatalities per 100,000 riders for 2005. Sorry for the USA only statistics, global loss statistics are hard to come by.

NOTE: all of these statistics are estimates to varying degrees and are derived from differing assumptions. Also, actually fatality rates per country vary substantially year to year. The statistics have been calculated from generally unconfirmed reported observations received from around the world. If new credible information is received regarding historical accidents as happens on occasion these statistics can change.