Protect Yourself on the Slopes - Wear a Helmet

For a long time individuals have not given very much consideration to wearing a helmet whilst on the ski slopes. This has never been through ignorance, or even a preference to look good; until just lately helmets simply weren’t considered an essential part of ski clothing.



However, with nearly 14 percent of all ski injuries affecting your head or the face (the next most frequent area for injuries to occur, following the knees), it is time we started covering up.



More recently there have been a number of much talked about skiing injuries, highlighting the necessity to stay safe, just February last year Marek Nawara, a polish politician spent a number of weeks in and induced coma following a head injury whilst skiing. German politician Thuringia Dieter Althaus, collided with a Slovakian woman while out skiing on New Years Day 2009. The woman unfortunately died while Althaus spent four months in recovery.



And in March a year ago, British actress Natasha Richardson sadly died through a head injury she sustained while skiing in Canada.



Following on from such terrible events, now it is a legal requirement in Austria for all children below the age of 14 to put on a helmet whilst out skiing. Many ski resorts throughout the world have likewise introduced similar policies. Sadly, 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 have proper protection and always wear a good ski helmet while skiing.



Ski helmets could be the most important item of skiing equipment you’ll need where safety is involved, but to make sure yourself plus your children enjoy your skiing break safely and happily, ensuring that you all wear proper clothing, top to bottom, is integral.



Children’s salopettes are a vital addition to any child’s outfit on the slopes; together with keeping them warm and dry (children’s salopettes will also be roomy enough for other layers to be worn beneath, increasing warmth further), they're thick enough to offer padding when it comes to minor falls.



Proper ski jackets are essential also. A ski jacket will ensure that the top half of the body stays warm and dry regardless of the weather conditions. You ought to choose a ski jacket with user friendly fastenings, just in case the sun means that you get too hot.



It is also crucial that you spend money on good quality quality eyewear. Whilst injury to the eyes whilst skiing is not a common occurance, you wouldn't want to end up in that minority. A good pair of ski goggles should have ample UV protection, as the combination of white snow and bright sunlight means the rays are usually strong.



For peace of mind, in case of any sort of accident you should hold the correct form of insurance, that covers you and your children for the activities you're taking part in, you will discover insurance policies especially for winter sports .



It's estimated that around 20 percent of skiers travel abroad without suitable cover. This puts people who decide to go without in danger of incurring high bills should a mishap occur, in addition to risking substandard treatment.



It is essential before you travel to check what your insurance policy covers. Most, if not all, standard policies will not include cover for those activities that can be considered ‘high risk’, and this includes skiing. Ideally you will want policy which includes specific ‘winter sports’ cover.



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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