Making Ski Helmets Mandatory on the Ski Hill: Yes or No?

soulskier

New member
"A few months ago, New Jersey became the first state to mandate ski helmets for children under 18. California is poised to pass a similar law by next winter, and New York appears to be next. After a string of head injury fatalities in Europe in recent years, helmet laws for kids have also passed in the Alps."

Making helmets mandatory, what does the FTOers think?

http://www.mrablog.com/making-ski-helme ... yes-or-no/
 
Personal choice for adults. Kids, probably a good idea, maybe should be mandatory, provided they are light enough so as not to cause or increase injury on their own due to whiplash and leverage effects.

I don't wear one skiing as I've never found one I considered comfortable enough. I usually wear one rock climbing, but not always. I always wear one bike riding. I occasionally wear one when drinking.
 
Marc_C":eurr496t said:
Personal choice for adults. Kids, probably a good idea, maybe should be mandatory, provided they are light enough so as not to cause or increase injury on their own due to whiplash and leverage effects.

I don't wear one skiing as I've never found one I considered comfortable enough. I usually wear one rock climbing, but not always. I always wear one bike riding. I occasionally wear one when drinking.

Do you wear one when battling with TonyC on FTO? ;)
 
Poor idea for a Law... Yet another nanny state stupidity to pretend to protect the dumb from themselves, just like seat belt laws. That said, you'd have to be fairly dumb to not wear a seat belt or not to put a lid on at least younger kids or etc... But that does not mean there should be or needs to be a law on the books...


Here's one to ponder: Many states (esp in the NE US) REQUIRE Safety bars and the use of them by riding patrons. Vs out west where there are still many lifts and even ski areas that have never seen the sight of a safety bar... Now, please tell me the incidence of Injury and Death accidents involving lifts with and with out bars (relative to each other; aka which is worse or better).

And of course they are no longer Safety Bars in the US either..... They are "Comfort bars" :roll:
 
EMSC":d6tklp7m said:
Poor idea for a Law... Yet another nanny state stupidity to pretend to protect the dumb from themselves, just like seat belt laws. That said, you'd have to be fairly dumb to not wear a seat belt or not to put a lid on at least younger kids or etc... But that does not mean there should be or needs to be a law on the books...

Agreed, and I pretty much ski with a helmet 100% of the time while skiing lift-served terrain. I don't wear one while backcountry skiing simply because it's uncomfortable while skinning and feels like a bowling ball strapped to your pack.

EMSC":d6tklp7m said:
Here's one to ponder: Many states (esp in the NE US) REQUIRE Safety bars and the use of them by riding patrons. Vs out west where there are still many lifts and even ski areas that have never seen the sight of a safety bar... Now, please tell me the incidence of Injury and Death accidents involving lifts with and with out bars (relative to each other; aka which is worse or better).

Vermont is one of those states with a mandatory safety bar use statute on the books. From a contact within ski area risk management many years ago I was told that the incidence of injuries from the safety bar itself far outweighs the incidence of injuries resulting from falling out of chairlifts. These include getting bonked on the noggin while someone lowers the bar, getting arms and legs pinched by the bar, etc. This of course makes sense, as does the fact that the relative severity of injuries from falling out of lifts typically outweighs the severity of injuries from the safety bar.

Personally I seldom use them out here except when my aging legs need a footrest.
 
I hate using the safety bars, theyre just annoying. As far as helmets are concerned, personal choice, it's obnoxious to require it. Legislation for the sake of legislation... What a waste.....
 
The answer to the safety bar on lifts quiz as it relates to serious injuries (such as from falling out of the lift for example), is neither is statistically more safe. They are basically identical in safety record.
 
A definate no from me. Kids perhaps and if I ever had any I would make them up til a certain point where it would become their personal choice.

With a home hill in Montana I cant see it happening any time soon!
 
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