HIT THE SLOPES SAFELY
Thirty-four people die in ski and snowboard accidents during an
average year. The well-publicized skiing deaths of Michael Kennedy
and Sonny Bono have highlighted the slopes’ inherent risks. One
result, experts say, is that growing numbers of skiers and
snowboarders are wearing helmets.
“Five to ten years ago, no one wore a helmet while bicycling,” says
Gregory Evans, supervisor of the children’s ski program at Winter
Park Resort in Winter Park, Colorado. “Now no one rides a bike
without one. A similar phenomenon is occurring in the ski
industry.”
Manufacturers are now offering lighter, more comfortable helmets
with better peripheral vision than in years past. Prices have dropped
in recent years. Consumers have responded, industry members say,
by buying more helmets to use on the slopes.
Boeri Sport USA spokesperson Robyn Hasson estimates that sales
of her company’s kids helmet line has increased 40 percent in the
past three years. “Helmets are cool again,” says Hasson. “Kids
want to wear them.”
Adults are also joining the trend. Bruce Bradley, a 55-year-old father
from Detroit, Michigan, skied without a helmet for years. Things
changed in 1998 when he had a near miss with a tree while skiing
the slopes of Dear Park, Utah. “The incident was an inspiration I
should get a helmet,” says Bradley. “Now I no longer worry about
looking goofy.”
Ski instructors caution, however, that wearing a helmet is never a
license to go wild. Jim Schultz, a children’s ski instructor at the
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming notes that helmets
probably would not have saved the lives of Kennedy or Bono.
“Education is the key to safety,” says Shultz, “Not helmets.”
More Ski Safety Tips
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Kids outgrow clothes and equipment quickly, so be sure gear fits
properly, says ski columnist Dick Healy.
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Take a lesson each year—even if you’ve skied before.
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Avoid congested areas at peak times. Consider skiing at smaller,
less crowded mountains.
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Take breaks to avoid fatigue, especially with kids. Bring snacks
for them to eat on the slopes if they get tired.
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Put identification, medical information, and family contact
information in a secure pocket.
