What risks should I be aware of when Skydiving?

As you begin your journey into skydiving, you might find yourself asking: is this a bad idea? Well, a little known fact is that of the “extreme” sports, skydiving is actually one of the safest. Each year, about 35 people die skydiving, but that’s out of about 2 million parachute jumps. Compared to the other extreme sports, statistics show that there is less risk involved. For example, every year 46,000 people die in traffic accidents, 140 people die while scuba diving and 850 die while bicycling.

Of these parachuting accidents, most of the fatalities involved are due to mistakes in judgment and procedure. The most important thing that you can do to get ready for skydiving is be prepared. Don’t just strap a parachute on and think you’re ready. It is very important to take lessons before making your first jump. These lessons will take you through many different scenarios and describe what you can do to keep yourself safe in each situation.

You also need to keep in mind if you have any previous health problems that might affect your jump. If you are known to faint or black out it is important to talk to your doctor before jumping. Most jump places require you to be 18 to skydive, as well as weigh less then 250 pounds. This is all for safety reasons.