(09/11/2009)

More and More Brits Neglecting to Wear Helmets when Skiing

Less than half of British skiers wear ski helmets despite increasing awareness of the risk of head injury to skiers in recent years.

That’s according to the results of a study by the Ski Club of Great Britain, in conjunction with ski equipment rental company Sky Republic.

The study found that only 44 percent of skiers and snowboarders wear protective head gear when hitting the slopes.

Over 84,000 winter sports injuries were recorded during the last winter season, with 17,500 of those head related. It is believed that around ten per cent of those injuries could have been avoided had the skier been wearing a protective helmet.

Managing Director of Ski Republic Mark Warnes said: “We give all of our customers free ski helmet rental, yet time after time the offer is declined or the customer puts the helmet to one side.

“Brits are among the worst for this as most European skiers are far more likely to wear ski helmets, often bringing their own with them, or taking up our free ski helmet rental.”

Research conducted in Canada and Sweden has shown that serious head and spine injuries have become more common in recent years among both skiers and snowboarders. This increase is partly because of faster speeds, but also due to more people who are not properly trained trying to perform complex manoeuvres on the slopes.

Public awareness of the risks associated with skiing was raised significantly by the death of British actress Natasha Richardson. The 45-year-old died in March this year, after a seemingly innocuous fall on a beginners slope in Canada resulted in her suffering fatal head injuries.

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