Found at: http://www.gotriad.com/article/articleprint/2880/-1/14/ |
(Monday, November 22, 2004 11:47 am)
During alpine mishaps, helmets separate your
skull from icy moguls, errant ski poles and slope-side flora. As a
bonus, they defy the wind chill to keep your dome toasty. Wearing a
helmet has become a no-brainer for more and more skiers and
snowboarders. So, why aren't snow-safety advocates overjoyed that
helmets have become accepted, even cool, among the carving
masses?
Well, have you ever had an SUV blow past you on an icy, snowy
highway? More than likely, that driver was gunning it with the false
confidence that hazardous conditions yield unconditionally to
four-wheel drive and burly suspension.
Experts say the same delusion is at work with skiers and snowboarders
who don helmets and consider themselves bulletproof. A study has
shown that helmeted and nonhelmeted skiers sustain head injuries at
the same rate. But it's helmeted skiers who sustain the most serious
head injuries.
Damage more serious than a mild concussion represents 23 percent of
all head injuries for nonhelmeted skiers and 67 percent for helmeted
skiers. Most of these grave injuries tend to befall experienced
skiers who are likely to travel at higher speeds and seek out
difficult terrain.
"From a behavioral point of view, it's easy to see how this happens,"
said Jasper Shealy, a researcher who helped conduct the 30-year study
at Sugarbush Resort in Vermont. "The helmet may be an enabler for
high-risk behavior."
In 1972, Shealy and his colleagues began cataloging the cases that
came into Sugarbush's base clinic. Each diagnosis was accompanied by
a lengthy questionnaire about the injured skiers' equipment, skills
and habits. The data about helmets has become increasingly relevant
with their growing popularity as an accessory.
According to the Snowsports Industry of America, manufacturers sold
almost 300,000 helmets during the 1998-1999 season. By last season,
that number had more than doubled.
A few years ago, Action Sports in West Haven, Conn., sold just one
brand of helmet; now it sells nine. General Manager John Budd
witnessed the sea change that made "brain buckets" a must for young
riders.
"You have parents on one side pushing their kids to wear them, and on
the other end the kids see all the pros wearing them," he said.
About 160 of the nation's resorts have gotten past hygiene and
dependability issues to make helmet rentals available. Two resorts,
Aspen and Crested Butte, require helmets for children in their ski
schools. Pennsylvania's Blue Mountain ski area has been sued for
negligence for not supplying a helmet as part of a rental package to
a 14-year-old boy who sustained head injuries.
"The liability suit is always part of the landscape we operate in,"
said Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association.
He acknowledged the suit's potential to set a precedent. "We're
paying close attention to it," he said.
The association's message echoes Shealy's findings. "Wear a helmet,
but ski or ride as if you weren't," Berry said.
This advice applies especially to the demographic who pays the
highest car-insurance rates. Male skiers in their teens and early 20s
accounted for most head injuries in Shealy's study. Apparently armor
only exacerbates their hunger for high speeds.
Although while helmets effectively deflect glancing blows, Shealy
found they're not much use when a person going over 20 mph hits a
fixed object.
"I'm not saying helmets are no good," Shealy said, "but you shouldn't
assume you're home free because you're wearing one."