10,000 Garmin SOS Calls Showing The Most Dangerous Places For Outdoor Activities On Earth

The map above shows the location of 10,000 Garmin inReach® SOS Incidents.

These are basically the places that people have run into trouble and had to ask for help.

Garmin inReach® has the ability to trigger an interactive SOS message to Garmin Response, the 24/7 staffed global emergency response coordination center.

More about what happened below:

With 100% global Iridium® satellite network coverage, an SOS can be triggered globally.* That includes lesser traveled places — the southern Pacific Ocean and northern Canada.

Interestingly, these clusters of incidents suggest a strong association with mountainous areas, including the Pacific Crest Trail in the western United States, the Alps across Europe, and much of New Zealand.

What are people doing when they trigger an SOS?

A notable 39% of SOS triggers are activated by adventurers who are hiking or backpacking.

Perhaps more unexpectedly, the second highest source of SOS calls (12%) stems from driving incidents.

Many of these driving-related emergencies arise when travellers lose access to cell phone service and find themselves in trouble.

Even seemingly routine situations can escalate quickly in remote areas — especially if supplies are limited or weather conditions deteriorate.

The top five activities that people are doing when they trigger an inReach SOS are:

Hiking/Backpacking
Driving
Motorcycling
Climbing/Mountaineering
Boating

Why are people triggering an SOS?

Outdoor enthusiasts face countless potential hazards, which can lead to a range of emergencies.

In fact, 30% of SOS activations are prompted by injuries — anything from broken bones or lacerations to blunt force trauma sustained from a fall.

The second most common reason, accounting for 17% of SOS calls, involves medical issues such as altitude sickness, heart conditions or gastrointestinal problems.

The top five reasons people trigger an inReach SOS: