Wear A Helmet To Be Safe On The Ski Slopes

By Author: Robert Deans
Total Articles: 246
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For quite some time skiers have failed to wear helmets on the slopes. It has never been through ignorance, or perhaps a preference to look good; until recently helmets simply weren't considered a necessary part of ski clothing.

However, with nearly 14 percent of all ski injuries affecting the head or perhaps the face (the second most common place for injuries to occur, following the knees), it is time we started covering up.

Recently there were a number of high profile skiing injuries, highlighting the need to stay safe, just February last year Marek Nawara, a polish politician spent a number of weeks in and induced coma after a head injury whilst skiing. And on New Years Day in 2009 Thuringia Dieter Althaus collided with a Slovakian woman on the ski slopes with fatal implications. The woman tragically died while Althaus spent four months in recovery.

And in March last year, British actress Natasha Richardson sadly died after having a head injury she suffered while skiing in Canada.

In light of such tragic events, Austria has got a new law that requires all children ...
... younger than 14 to wear a ski helmet while on the slopes. Around the world this is becoming a common practise. Unfortunately, no such law or guideline is yet in place for adults, but this doesn't mean that it's not a very good idea to acquire proper protection and always wear an appropriate ski helmet while skiing.

Whilst a ski helmet is just about the single most important item of equipment, there are other items that should also be worn to ensure that your child has a safe and fulfilling skiing experience.

Children's salopettes are a vital addition to any child's outfit on the slopes; as well as keeping them warm and dry (children's salopettes are also roomy enough for other layers to be worn underneath, increasing warmth further), they're thick enough to offer padding in the event of minor falls.

Proper ski jackets are vital also. Most will be designed to keep the entire upper body warm and dry, no matter what the elements should bring. They should also be easy to undo, as a mix of bright sunshine and high altitude can lead to you being too hot, even if you're surrounded by snow.

Additionally it is imperative that you invest in some good quality eyewear. Although less than 1 percent of skiing accidents involve injury to the eyes, a ski pole and your eyes aren't a happy combination, meaning that you're definitely better off being safe instead of sorry. Furthermore, the white as white snow may cause the sunlight to reflect right onto you (ever seen someone with a red face, and a huge white patch where their ski goggles have sat?!), so make sure your ski goggles have suitable UV protection as well.

Furthermore, to make sure that you and your children can be cared for properly in the unfortunate event of an accident, you have to take out a suitable winter sports insurance policy.

It's estimated that around 20 percent of skiers travel abroad without appropriate cover. This puts those who choose to go without in danger of incurring extremely high bills should an accident occur, in addition to risking substandard treatment.

It is integral that you check all travel insurance policies so you are sure of the things they include. A lot of standard travel insurance policies will not cover you for activities such as skiing as they are looked upon as high risk. So find a policy that's tailored to cover winter sports.

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This article was written by R. Deans on behalf of Little Terra, experts in kids ski pants and childrens salopettes. For more info on kids ski pants and childrens salopettes please visit LittleTerra.co.uk