Call renewed for skiers and snowboarders to wear helmets

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – With local mountains snow-capped, there are concerns those heading into the backcountry aren’t taking the proper safety precautions.

Traumatic head and neck injuries are the leading cause of death among snowboarders and skiers and experts want them to reconsider their attitude before they think they can head down the slopes with a helmet.

A helmet can reduce the risk of a head injury by up to 35 per cent, according to Dr. Ian Pike with Preventable BC. “In the event that you fall or collide with another skier or a fix object like a tree, a helmet can reduce the risk of injury by up to 35 per cent.”

And the numbers prove people should be wearing them.

The BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit says there are more than 700 skiing and snowboarding injuries that send people to the hospital every year.

“Helmets can reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury by as much as 60 per cent. Upon hearing how well a helmet can protect you from a serious brain injury, [you] might consider, and we of course urge people to wear a helmet when skiing and snowboarding,” adds Pike.

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