I don't know, but I would think that the stats can tell you something useful. For instance, if the percentage of diver deaths amongst obese divers is greater than the percentage of overall dives made by obese divers, how can that fail to inform?
I have read some rather shocking stories about recreational diving incidents regarding weights.
One, I remember a first-hand account of a diver who surfaced far from the dive boat with a leaking BC. In heavy seas the diver had problems with constantly switching from snorkel to manual inflator and was "near drowning" by the time pickup was made. Then came the revelation "I had forgotten to ditch my weights." Physical fitness and skill level aside, that diver should have known to ditch when there was trouble staying afloat!
Two, A diver entered the water with a broken BC dump valve and began sinking. This diver was found at depth with an empty tank and inflator button still clutched in hand. This is extremely sad and probably totally preventable. Equipment checking aside, I would think that just about any recreational diver is positively buoyand after ditching.
These stories, and others and others have led me to two conclusions. First, that students should be told more than once that the weights should go if they need to become bouyant. Second, That they should be told that getting to the surface is the most important priority in an out-of-air/equipment-failure situation (unless buddy or divemaster is on the spot,) and that retaining your gear is not.
Sorry to hijack, but this puts me in mind of another thought...
Would anyone else agree that the dive certification agencies may be playing down the procedures used in real-life emergencies to make diving appear safer, more fun, and therefore increase their audience? I think of the weight ditching stories, and stories of runaway ascents due to stuck inflators where the diver never thinks to use the quick-disconnect. These are two common, possibly dangerous situations where, in my opinion, a little more training (to hammer home the reason that weights and inflators are QUICKLY RELEASABLE) might save lives without really freaking out the students.
And it is easier to talk the victim into meeting you at the bowling alley than 2 miles offshore.
