Skiis, Toboggans, and Sleds

In 1991, an ambulance was called to a popular sledding hill. The hill was very icy at the time and conditions allowed sleds to travel farther than they normally would. A young girl went down the hill, hit a building which was at the bottom of the hill and received a severe head injury. Though she survived, she spent many months in rehabilitation. Looking back at the situation and thinking of the circumstances, I probably would not have hesitated to slide down the hill with my daughter . That incident opened my eyes to how deceptive conditions can be on sledding hills.

Sliding down a snow-covered hill is a lot of fun for children and adults alike. This can be a great outdoor activity for the whole family. But without proper safety practices, injuries can happen. As a paramedic I have attended too many tobogganing injuries; those injuries have been as serious as severe head injuries and broken backs. Tobogganing is fun, but teach your children to do it safely.

Skiing, tobogganing, and sledding are all subject to the prevailing weather conditions. Commercial ski areas often post the conditions so that skiers can use appropriate equipment. Traditionally, family tobogganing, sledding and some skiing take place in less formal settings on local, unregulated hills. Safety standards often rest in good judgment and experience. Here are some tips to keep your snow fun safe:

Helmets will reduce the chance of a head injury in skiing, tobogganing, or sledding. Ski helmets have not been standardized in Canada; however, we can rely on the European standards for them. There is no approved tobogganing helmet, but it is known that a hockey helmet is not adequate; a bicycling helmet is more appropriate because it protects against one major blow - after which it must be replaced.

In January 2000, a 10-year-old girl was killed on a ski hill in Banff, Alberta when she lost control and skied into a tree. She sustained severe head injuries.

Ensure children are dressed for winter conditions. Carefully consider wind chill factors, ice, snowmelt, and slushy pools at the bottom of the hill. Will your child be warm and dry after a few runs down the hill? Don’t forget appropriate eye protection and sunscreen.

Inspect the area where the child will be sledding or skiing. Make sure the path if clear of rocks, trees, poles and other obstacles.

While this book was being written, a four-year-old boy was killed after his toboggan crashed into a tree. Between 179 to 189 tobogganing - related injuries were treated at Alberta Children’s Hospital alone between March 1990 and February 1995. Half of those were head injuries, and some of those resulted in severe brain damage. Compared to head injuries caused by tobogganing, the figures for head injuries caused by skiing, bicycling and hockey are four to five times greater (Calgary Herald Feb. 5, 1995).

The sledding surface should be snow-packed and not icy. Ice contributes to speed and increases hazards.

The ski surface should be completely covered with snow, relatively soft and free of obstacles that could cause injuries.

Make sure the sled is in good condition with no broken parts. Don’t use a sled with splinters or protruding hardware. Skis, bindings, boots, and poles should be in good condition.

When sledding or tobogganing, riding in a prone position (on your belly) can increase the chance of head and abdominal injuries; therefore, the child’s head should be at the back of the sled and covered with a helmet. Sitting is a better position.

Teach children how to stop when sliding down snowy hills. “Snow-plowing” or merely falling to the hillside will stop most skiers. Sleds often have a breaking mechanism, though toboggans do not. Always keep in mind that toboggans can be highly uncontrollable devices.

If you are going to teach your children to ski, make sure you have the skill to teach them correctly. Better yet, have them take lessons from an approved agency.

Make sure your children know the difference between going down a hill fast and going down a hill out of control. Speed can kill.

Instruct children to wait their turn and do not go until their path is clear of other children, parents, and dogs. Have them walk up the hill to the side, far from the path of the people sledding or skiing down.

Do not allow children to ski or sled where they may run out onto the road. Fatalities have happened this way.

While writing this article a small boy was run over by a car when the sled he was riding on slid onto the road. The car ran over his abdominal area and he received very serious injuries. The driver of the car did not stand a chance in stopping.

This information was taken from the book "Kids for Keeps - Preventing Injuries to Children" by Martin Lesperance. To order this book, go to books and products at www.safete.com or call (403) 225-2011. Sign up for his free safety newsletter at www.safete.com. Martin speaks across North America on the topic of injury prevention.

Martin Lesperance is a fire fighter/paramedic and is the author of the best selling book "I Won’t be in to Work Today – Preventing Injuries at Home, Work and Play" Martin delivers keynote presentations dealing with injury prevention. His talks are funny, but still have a strong underlying message. Visit his website at www.safete.com