Is skydiving really that dangerous?
About fear, numbers and reality
Last updated: 9 December 2025
The bottom line:
Many people automatically associate skydiving with danger and dramatic headlines. But if you look beyond the spectacular stories, you will find a sport that in practice is very controlled and carefully organised. In this blog we look at reputation, risk and what has changed to make skydiving as safe as possible.
- Skydiving has an exciting image, but serious accidents are rare compared to the total number of jumps.
- The biggest risks usually do not sit in the equipment, but in human behaviour and letting go of procedures.
- Modern gear, serious training and a strong safety culture keep the risks small, especially when you stay sharp and aware yourself.
- If you want to see the hard numbers, you can find official statistics at the KNVvL and international skydive federations.
A well-trained jumper in stable freefall. Skydiving is less reckless than it looks.
Why skydiving has such a heavy reputation
As soon as the word skydiving comes up, many people immediately think of risks. The image is clear: people jumping out of an aircraft, that must be extremely dangerous, right? And if something does go wrong, you will see the predictable headline: “Parachute did not open.”
What those articles almost never explain is what actually happened. In most cases it is not the gear that suddenly fails, but human action: making the wrong decision, letting go of procedures or misjudging a situation. That changes the story quite a bit, but it takes the drama out of the headline. As a result, the reputation of skydiving sticks, while day-to-day reality is much more down to earth.
Compare it to driving a car
Anything outside our comfort zone quickly feels dangerous. At the same time we jump in the car, on our bike or into an airliner without thinking twice. That feels normal because we do it every day, even though that is where many accidents actually happen.
In 1970 more than 3,300 people died in traffic in the Netherlands. Thanks to better regulations, safer infrastructure and technologies like seat belts, helmet laws and speed cameras, that number has dropped sharply. In 2023 there were still 684 road deaths. That is still a shocking number if you realise how normal driving a car feels to us.
Skydiving lives in a completely different order of magnitude. Worldwide, millions of jumps are made every year and serious accidents are the exception. It feels intense because it sits far outside your everyday life, but if you look at the number of jumps compared to the number of incidents, the risk is much smaller than most people think.
Official numbers and statistics
Maybe you are the kind of person who simply wants to know how big the risk really is. Then it helps to know that hard numbers do exist. National and international federations keep precise records of how many jumps are made and which incidents occur.
On parachute.nl, the website of the KNVvL parachuting section, you can find extensive information about training, licences and safety policy in the Netherlands. International organisations also publish yearly incident reports and statistics, for example on the USPA safety page.
There you will see that the number of serious accidents is very small compared to the total number of jumps, especially when you look at jumps made within recognised clubs and training centres. In this blog we stick to the big picture. You do not need to memorise a table to make a good, safe decision. It is more important that you understand which factors make the real difference.
Skydiving is safer than ever
The sport has evolved massively over the past decades. Modern parachute systems are robust, reliable and built with redundancy. You always jump with a main parachute and a reserve parachute. On top of that there is an automatic activation device (AAD) in your rig that will activate the reserve if you do not open yourself in time.
The way people are trained has also become far more professional and structured. During an AFF course you learn step by step how to handle your gear, how to deal with emergencies and how to manage your own tension. You are not just “along for the ride”, you are being trained to make conscious decisions in the air.
At Airboss we only use approved equipment, maintained according to strict protocols. Our instructors are certified, jump a lot and keep their skills up to date. Airboss is affiliated with the KNVvL and operates within the applicable regulations. That includes periodic inspections, documented procedures and a safety mindset that runs through the whole organisation.
If you would like to know more about how our equipment works and how we maintain it, have a look at the blog “Safety of the equipment”.
The most important factor is you
No matter how safe skydiving has become, one thing never changes. You are the most important link. Just like in traffic, paying attention is crucial. Not trying to be a hero, but staying sensible. Following procedures. Being willing to talk about mistakes, both your own and other people’s.
That attitude is what makes the difference. Skydivers are often extra aware of safety. Not because they are constantly afraid, but because they understand what responsibility means. The more you learn, the more you see that safety is not a coincidence, but the result of a long series of good choices.
If you come to us for a course, it is not only about arching, altitude awareness and landings. It is also about your mindset. When you learn to stay calm under pressure, to ask questions and to run your checks consistently, you take that attitude into every jump you make and, in many ways, into the rest of your life.
More inspiration on safety and mindset
- ➔ Skydiving and stress: how to stay calm when everything is moving.
- ➔ The psychology of skydiving: what freefall teaches you about yourself.
- ➔ Afraid of heights and still want to skydive?: why feeling fear does not mean you cannot do it.
Want to discover more about skydiving, courses and holidays?
Check out our Airboss homepage for all options.
“It is not the risk, but our fear that decides what we dare to do.”
— and skydiving helps you break through that.