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Outdoor adventures are ending in injury for thousands of thrill seekers in New Zealand every year, says a report based on accident compensation claims.

A team of Massey researchers analysed over 18,500 ACC claims by New Zealanders in the year to June 2005 to determine the role of adventure tourism and adventure sports in injury claims.

The trio of researchers from the University’s College of Business in Auckland found that the total cost of these injuries was over $12 million. They say the figures in their report underestimate the true extent of “the adventure sports injury problem in New Zealand.” The data they analysed did not include injuries to overseas visitors.

Approximately 60% of claims involved just four activities: horse riding, mountain biking, tramping and surfing. Relatively few injuries resulted from activities with arguably higher perceived risk – bungy jumping and sky diving, for example.

There were 27 fatalities resulting from adventure type pursuits. Three involved horse riding, two tramping, six resulted from mountaineering and two from white water rafting. Another six people were killed while fishing.

Slips, trips and falls were the most common injury triggers and most injuries were to the knees, the spine, and the shoulders.

The lead researcher, Dr Tim Bentley is a senior lecturer in the Department of Management and International Business (College of Business) at the University’s Auckland campus. He says the research clearly shows that there is risk and that people are getting injured.

“The findings suggest the need to investigate whether regulatory intervention in the form of codes of practice for high injury count activities such as horse riding and mountain biking may be necessary.”