Welcome to the Preventable Snow Report. In areas that don’t have avalanche warnings, conditions on BC’s numerous hills are ideal for hitting the slopes. Mount Seymour, Grouse Mountain, Cypress Mountain, Big White, and Silver Star are all reporting great conditions and are open for skiers, snowboarders, and winter fun seekers of all ilks to enjoy. If you want to keep it fun and reduce your chance of injury out there in the white stuff, make sure to wear a helmet. If you haven’t got around to getting a helmet to protect your noggin yet, Preventable and Insurance Bureau Canada will help you and your pocketbook out by giving you a $40 discount on the price of a brand new one!
Why should you wear a helmet when you’re shredding the nar or pulling a huge daffy on the hill? Well, spokesperson for Preventable Dr. Shelina Babul lays it out quite clearly,
“Traumatic head and neck injuries are the leading causes of death for skiers and snowboarders. Our goal is to get into the heads of skiers and snowboarders and consider their attitude to risk. Many of the head and neck injuries sustained can be prevented by wearing a proper helmet.”
Oh, and then there’s the statistics:
- Helmets have been linked to a 60 percent reduction in head injuries for skiers and snowboarders (Smartrisk, 2009).
- There are more than 900 skiing and snowboarding injuries, among all ages, that require hospitalization annually (BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit).
- Each year, BC Children’s Hospital has about 70 visits to its emergency department because of snowboarding injuries and more than 42 visits related to downhill skiing for those aged 17 and under (BCIRPU Fact Sheet on Winter Safety).
- Over 31 tobogganing injuries are seen at the BC Children’s Emergency Department among those aged under 17 years (BCIRPU Fact Sheet on Winter Safety).
- The Canadian Ski Council reports that BC has the lowest helmet usage in Canada at only 66 percent. In addition, only 59 percent of Canadian skiers and snowboarders between the ages of 25-34 wear helmets.
- It is estimated that each dollar invested in a helmet saves $30 in social costs (thinkfirst.ca).
But what if you’re really careful and a good skier/boarder. Do you really need to wear one? Well, we all think we’re injury proof at times, but that doesn’t mean we won’t get injured. Some people know that they should wear helmets but find excuses not to wear them. One of those excuses is that helmets are another cost some would rather not shell out for. Well, we’re getting rid of that excuse by taking a big bite out of the cost of a helmet.
In partnership with Insurance Bureau Canada, starting on Saturday, January 15th, our Preventable snow team will be handing out a $40 voucher for a discount on an on-site helmet purchase to skiers and snowboarders without helmets at Mount Seymour, Big White and Silverstar. The exact times we’ll be there are below:
Mount Seymour – January 15 and 16, 9:30am-1:30pm
Big White – January 29, 9:30am-1:30pm
Silver Star – January 30, 9:30am-1:30pm
So will you be donning a helmet on the slopes this winter? If not, why not leave a comment telling us why. And more importantly, will you be getting a $40 discount on a new helmet?
Preventable’s Shelina Babul interviewed by The Province
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by @Vectorcourier RT@Preventable – Need a new helmet to help avoid injuries this skiing/ snowboarding season? We’ve got $40 off vouchers!
And don’t forget the other cardinal rules of safe snowboarding – ride with a buddy, and stay clear of tree wells. If you fall into a tree well, DO NOT STRUGGLE as this will dislodge more snow into your face. If you can, carefully make a space around your face to breathe and wait for help. Buddies should watch out for each other at all times.
i never wore a helmet snowboarding before until this year b/c back in the day no one wore them on the hills. No it’s weird NOT to wear one. plus they keep your noggin really warm.
Any opportunities for low income families to take advantage of this voucher without being at one of the on hill events?
I want to know why preventable is pulling it’s punches and are promoting helmet use in activities that produce amongst the smallest totals n head injuries and ignore the obvious monster, the automobile.
ski-injury.com places the risks of head injuries in context in discussing helmet use on the slopes
http://www.ski-injury.com/prevention/helmet
and Australian researchers have discovered the many more injuries that could be prevented if drivers would wear helmets
http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/developments/headband/
Don’t waste time going after skiers and cyclists, make a difference and get motorists to wear helmets!
Apparently people on Vanc Island aren’t worth saving, FOR SHAME, FOR SHAME :(
Thanks for all the comments so far everyone!
jm: These are all the vouchers and times to get them that I know of. If there are more to be had I’ll post an update for sure.
Brad: I heard a very similar point given by a listener who heard about the campaign on CBC BC Almanac yesterday (Jan 10th http://www.cbc.ca/bcalmanac/). You may have a point that wearing a helmet while driver could reduce the amount of injuries. However, this campaign is about those on the slopes and reducing their serious head injuries. We’ll be focusing more on motor vehicle injuries later in the year. Thanks for the comment!
Jim: People on Vancouver Island do count! I’ll put in a good word for Mount Washington if we do this campaign next year.
I think what you’re missing Robert, is that what preventable is concerned with, is either a remote possibility, or a minor injury that has no lasting significance.
Look at the research with an honest eye Robert. Helmets for the slopes prevent minor injuries and not the serious injuries and deaths that come to those on the slopes on those very rare occasions.
just to add another source, ski canada magazine has a page on the science behind helmets
http://www.skicanadamag.com/Features/2008/12/05/7646556.html
in which it says,
My colleagues and I are strong believers in the notion that helmets are not panaceas, and have an extremely limited ability to prevent serious head injuries…
We encourage skiers and snowboarders to not have an exaggerated sense of protection just because they are using a helmet. We have often observed that some individuals say they only use a helmet when they do something risky, which suggests that if not for the helmet, they would not do it. In other words, the helmet is a *risk enabler* and indeed encourages risk-taking.
so let’s get this straight.
Preventable says,
“Traumatic head and neck injuries are the leading causes of death for skiers and snowboarders…
Many of the head and neck injuries sustained can be prevented by wearing a proper helmet.”
yet Brad’s link says,
“there is no clear evidence that helmets have been shown to be an effective means of reducing fatalities in alpine sports”.
and here is another link that supports Brads
http://www.skicanadamag.com/Features/2008/12/05/7646556.html
that says,
“My colleagues and I are equally strong believers in the notion that helmets are not panaceas, and have an extremely limited ability to prevent serious head injuries. We encourage skiers and snowboarders to not have an exaggerated sense of protection just because they are using a helmet. We have often observed that some individuals say they only use a helmet when they do something risky, which suggests that if not for the helmet, they would not do it. In other words, the helmet is a *risk enabler* and indeed encourages risk-taking. “
Thanks for the response, Brad and Byron. Yes, there are “only” 900 serous injuries each year on the slopes, which is not as high a number as motor vehicle injuries in B.C. each year (1986 – 2005 Stats Can numbers for B.C.) – http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp3322-2005-page5-653.htm. Yes, we are targeting the slopes at the moment, like we target other areas of injury like drowning, ladder safety, etc. during other relevant times of the year. Our main aim is to change overall attitudes towards injury prevention. We want to change the “It won’t happen to me” kinds of attitudes of British Columbians out thereto a “It could happen to me, so I should take preventative measures to avoid serious injuries” attitude.
There is a connection between how we act on the slopes and other areas in our lives. If you are a person who skies without a helmet because you don’t believe that anything could happen, you might very well have a similar attitude to driving distracted, boating without a life vest, climbing a roof without taking the proper safety precautions, etc.
It’s these overall attitudes that contribute to the 400,000 serious injuries and 1,200 deaths per year in our province – http://www.preventable.ca/learn-more/. If we can get people to stop and think about their attitudes and possibly change them to be more preventative, then we’ve done our job.
But Robert, Preventable says helmets save lives, but research shows they don’t and those who wear helmet act more dangerously and receive more injuries?
Aren’t your attempts at improving safety being counter-productive?
Oh, and yes, I absolutely agree that it’s that attitudes that we have to deal with in order to prevent injuries. It’s not about questionable equipment, it’s about a proper attitude; focusing on equipment can encourage a poor attitude because the equipment is seen as something that can compensate for poor behavior or attitude.
@Brad I’d like to see a link to the research that proves that “those who wear helmets act more dangerously”
The evidence for this is anecdotal at best. However it’s common sense to realize that when you are travelling at high speeds past large immovable objects such as trees, rocks and lift towers that a helmet will provide more protection than a toque.
This reminds me of the argument not wearing a seat belt is safer because you will be thrown clear of the crash.
Helmets are here to stay. Get used to it.
Nasty faceplant 4 weeks ago while wearing a helmet. Concussion and lots of body pain. Wonder if I would have got up without the helmet.
I think it’s important to consider both the BENEFITS and LIMITATIONS of a helmet. Helmets don’t PREVENT accidents, however it’s sure good to have one on when your head slams against a hard surface!
I would be interested in assisting with your next campaign if you are ever in the beautiful Bulkley Valley and want to ski with us at Hudson Bay Mountain in Smithers!
Snowboarding is one of the famous, interesting, adventurous and fun sports. But the first and most important piece of safety equipment while you ride bike is a helmet which provides Snowboard protection. These are safety helmet so you can wear them on your bike, skate, skateboarding which protect you against injuries. Also, provide maximum protection in case you fall backward.
Regards,
padded shorts
Can we download a coupon for a discount off a helmet purchase – online? I have not been able to find it.
Hey, what about the Kootenays?? I saw your initiative in the Lower Mainland on the news the other night. After seeing it I went out and bought a helmet and convinced my parents (who have been skiing helmetless for 40 years) to buy helmets today as well! Too bad we weren’t able to get the coupons. Think about setting something up at Whitewater. Big bumps, lots of trees and lots of opportunity for head injuries.
Darn saw this too late
Would be awesome if you guys could hand vouchers and get more exposure at the more popular local mountains: cypress/grouse
*just out of the 3 (sey/grouse/cypress) that is*