RANK

SPORT

DESCRIPTION

1

BASE Jumping

Extremely high risk due to low-altitude parachute jumps. Fatality rate is approximately 1 per 60 participants per year.

2

Cave Diving

Dangerous because of confined underwater spaces, risk of drowning, and disorientation. Mortality rate is estimated at 1–2% per dive.

3

Swimming

Risks mainly occur in open water (rivers, lakes, oceans) with drowning. Approximately 240,000 drowning deaths occur globally each year (WHO).

4

Big Wave Surfing

Large waves can cause severe injuries or death; near-drowning is common. Risk increases with wave heights above 20 feet.

5

Free Solo Rock Climbing

Climbing without ropes; a single mistake can be fatal. Estimated mortality rate is 4–5% per climber career.

6

Skydiving

Parachute failure or landing accidents can occur. Fatality rate is ~0.006 per 1,000 jumps (US data).

7

Motorcycle Racing

High-speed crashes are common; serious injuries are frequent. Fatality rate is ~0.15 per 1,000 racers annually.

8

Auto Racing

High-speed crashes pose a risk of serious injury. Formula 1 has historically had ~0.02 fatalities per race.

9

Boxing

Risks include head trauma, concussions, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Deaths are rare, but brain injuries are common.

10

Bull Riding & Fighting

High risk of being trampled or gored. Serious injuries occur in ~40% of professional rides.

11

Jai Alai

The ball can reach speeds of 188 mph, causing concussions or eye injuries. Fatalities are rare but have been reported.

12

Scuba Diving

Risks include decompression sickness, drowning, and equipment failure. Mortality rate is ~2 deaths per 100,000 dives.

13

Cycling

Road cycling carries crash risks. Approximately 25,000 cycling deaths occur worldwide annually. Helmet use reduces risk.

14

Cheerleading

Falls, stunts, and tumbling lead to a high rate of catastrophic injuries, especially among high school athletes (~2.2 per 100,000 athlete exposures).

15

Street Luge

High-speed downhill racing can cause severe injuries. Speeds often exceed 70 mph, making crashes particularly dangerous.

16

MMA

Punches, kicks, and joint locks can cause concussions and fractures. About 28% of professional fights result in injury.

17

White Water Rafting

Risks include drowning, collisions with rocks, and hypothermia. Fatalities are estimated at ~0.5 per 100,000 participants.

18

Rugby

High-contact sport with frequent concussions and fractures. Injury rate is ~81 per 1,000 player hours.

19

American Football

High risk of concussion and chronic injuries. NFL concussion incidence is ~6.3 per 1,000 player exposures.

20

Heliskiing

Remote skiing carries avalanche and fall risk. Fatalities are estimated at 1 per 5,000–10,000 runs.

21

Horse Riding

Falls and kicks can cause serious injury. Mortality is ~1 per 1,000 riders annually, with fractures common.