Adults dodging ski helmets message
JEFFERSONVILLE, Vt. – Kids appear to be getting the message about wearing helmets while skiing and snowboarding, but it seems that adults are not.
Two-thirds of the respondents younger than 18 wore helmets when skiing or snowboarding, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Vermont and Burlington’s Fletcher Allen Health Care Hospital. Less than a third of the respondents older than 18 wore helmets.
The team amassed more than 10,000 observations last winter in Vermont. Dr. Robert Williams, a pediatric anesthesiologist and critical care specialist at Vermont Children’s Hospital, compares helmets to seat belts: Both are important safety measures that should be used habitually, he said.
According to a 1999 report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, helmets could prevent about 7,700 head injuries and more than 10 deaths annually if they were used more.
Related Articles:
Loading ...
