Safety
The Importance of Wearing a Helmet While Skiing
Millions of Americans will hit the slopes this year, but not everyone will opt to wear a helmet. While no states currently require skiers or snowboarders to wear helmets, there are numerous benefits to doing so. Here are some top reasons to wear a helmet on the slopes:
1. Helmets Decrease Serious Head Injuries
There are 600,000 ski and snowboard injuries every year in the US. Of these, 120,000 are head injuries. Of these, 22% are serious head injuries, like traumatic brain injuries or concussions. A John Hopkins Study found that the risk of serious head injuries dramatically reduces if you wear helmets.
2. Helmets Improve Your Vision
A common reason claim they don’t like to wear helmets is because they decrease your vision, making it challenging to avoid crashes on the slopes. This simply isn’t true at all. Helmets that fit well should make it easier to see when you’re skiing, as they help hold your goggles in place. If you can’t see when you’re wearing a helmet, your helmet doesn’t fit correctly. Helmets do make it harder to hear, but hearing isn’t an important factor when it comes to avoiding crashes.
3. Helmets Don’t Cause You to Act Recklessly
The same John Hopkins study found no correlation between reckless skiing and helmet use. This is simply a common excuse to not wear a helmet on the slopes. This is important to keep in mind because while a helmet will protect you from serious head injuries, it will not “save” you from minor injuries from falls.
4. Helmets Set a Good Example
When you wear a helmet, you’re telling today’s youth that you care about safety and protecting yourself on the slopes. It’s not fair to ask your children to wear helmets while skiing but not wear one yourself. When you wear a helmet you set a great example for everyone else on the mountain.
5. Helmets Save Lives
A study taken by the Eastern Association for the Surgery Trauma Control found that 44% of head injuries in adults and 53% of head injuries in children age 15 or under were “potentially preventable” by wearing a helmet. Young men in particular are at the highest risk of head injury—wearing a helmet can save thousands of skiers from hospital bills (or worse) annually.
If you’re in the market for a new helmet, consider stopping by your local ski supply store or favorite resort. You should never buy a used helmet because you won’t know the helmet’s quality or if it’s been damages in the past. The staff will have great recommendations for trustworthy brands and can help you find a helmet that fits well.
This article was provided by www.personalinjury-law.com, an organization dedicated to providing the public with information about personal injury and safety information. Nothing in this article should be construed as legal advice, and it is intended for informational use only.
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