It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting cooler, which means one thing; it’s time for hockey!
While it’s a popular sport, hockey isn’t exactly known for its safety records. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that football is more dangerous than hockey.
Yes, football is a safer sport than hockey. But how can that be? How can football be considered a ‘safer’ sport? Let’s take a quick look at the stats and compare them to hockey.
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The Stats
According to the National Hockey League, over the past 20 years, there have been 1244 hockey-related deaths. That’s one person killed every other week on average. In comparison, the American Football League estimates that there have been only 463 deaths over the past 20 years, which is one person every two weeks on average.
To put it into perspective, the 1244 deaths in the NHL over the past 20 years represent over 24 years of continuous play. To put it into perspective, that’s one person every two weeks for 24 years. Not to mention all of the serious injuries that occur as well. The fact is, hockey is a dangerous sport, and over the years, many tragic injuries have sidelined and even ended some players’ careers. It’s also one of the few sports where men and women actually play against each other, which is extremely dangerous given the physical differences between the genders.
Hockey Versus Football
There are several factors that make football a safer sport than hockey. First and foremost, the size difference between the players is significant. A football player is typically much larger than a hockey player, which makes him or her easier to tackle and bring down. Also, the size difference prevents some of the head-on collisions that happen in hockey. The bigger the object, the easier it is to hit. So naturally, the chances of suffering a serious injury in football are significantly lower than in hockey.
There are also other factors that contribute to the safety of football. First and foremost, there are more regulations in place governing football than hockey. For example, players are required to wear helmets, which can protect their heads from injuries. In addition, football is a ‘protected’ sport, which means that the players are granted extra time between sets during a game. This gives them more time to recover and makes collisions less likely to happen.
Why Is Football Safer Than Hockey?
It’s not exactly clear why football is safer than hockey. After all, they’re both popular sports and played by people all over the world. In fact, a 2014 study from the United Kingdom found that people there consider football to be a safer sport than hockey. However, the study also found that fewer people in England consider cricket to be a safer sport than football or hockey, which suggests that perhaps the perception of danger varies from country to country. Still, given the large number of deaths and serious injuries that happen every year in the NHL compared to the AFL, it would seem that most people agree that football is a safer sport than hockey.
Is Hockey The Riskiest Sport?
Even though it has a significantly lower morbidity than football or ice hockey, it’s not exactly clear that skateboarding is the safest sport. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the most dangerous sports. Why? Due to a combination of factors. First and foremost, many injuries and deaths occur due to water sports-related accidents. The second factor relates to the nature of the sport itself. While skateboarding may be a relaxing and enjoyable pastime for some, it’s definitely not for everyone. The fact is, not all of us were born with the ability to balance on two wheels and ride smoothly on a skateboard. It takes a certain type of person to be able to do it well. For those who can’t, it may be a safer alternative to engage in other sports activities, especially team sports.
Then there’s the environment. While most of the injuries and deaths that happen in relation to skateboarding happen in private clubs that are off limits to the public, other sports are played on public courses and open spaces. This makes the injuries and fatalities more apparent, which may cause more people to be aware of the risks involved. Still, it’s not exactly clear how much danger skateboarding poses compared to other popular sports due to the fact that it’s not always reported in the news. However, it’s almost certain that the number of skateboarding-related accidents and injuries is significantly higher than what is reported.
In fact, it would be beneficial for the general public if more people were made aware of the risks involved in skateboarding. This would make the sport safer for everyone, which is a key reason why it’s safer than most other sports. Still, the risks involved with skateboarding are considerable, and it would be best for everyone if this were known. This is why it’s crucial to always wear a helmet when skateboarding, no matter what.