Whitewater rafting is not a sport for the weak hearted. It can be an extremely dangerous sport, and if basic safety measures are ignored, may even lead to death. In some areas, there may be safety precautions imposed by law that rafting operators must follow. Some laws require that outfitters, rafts and raft leaders must be certified while some laws apply to strict regulations on the procedures and whitewater rafting equipment. If you are planning to go on a whitewater rafting trip, it is best that you discuss the safety measures practiced by the operators before you enlist to join a trip. Make sure that the company, their equipment and their raft guides are certified.

Rafting as a sport in general has been observed as safer today compared to several years ago. The level of expertise of practitioners has increased and modern whitewater rafting equipment has seen major advances in safety and quality. There are certain risks involved in the sport and mainly they come from the inherent dangers of the river, and unfortunately from improper conduct of rafters. To make sure that rafters understand the risks, rafting outfitters usually require their customers to sign waiver forms, and have then attend safety presentations about the adventure they are about to begin.