After Natasha's Tragic Death, a Call for Helmets -- from a Paralympic Skier

As an Olympic ski medalist who has been skiing for over thirty years, I wonder why Natasha Richardson's tragic demise has not catalyzed people across the US to push for mandatory helmets for skiing. Instead, traffic on the internet is still arguing about whether a helmet would have saved her or not. In many other countries helmets are mandatory, especially for children. Yet, in the US, the percentage of people skiing in helmets is still well below 50%. Instead of arguing about whether it would have helped, isn't the point that it certainly wouldn't have made her worse off? It would have increased her chances of survival.

Since my background is economics, I look for the money trail. Each ski area must feel that mandatory helmet rules would make people want to go elsewhere -- so unless all the resorts do it, no one area wants to be the bad guy. They must feel that they would lose more money by requiring helmets than they lose by the bad publicity of famous people dying from a minor spill on the bunny hill. One wonders how many people who aren't famous die from head trauma while skiing each year. Maybe now, the money equation will finally shift.

For years I didn't wear a helmet (except for the very fast Downhill races where we were clocked at 65-70mph). No one wore them for regular skiing. When they began to be introduced, I didn't want to wear one because it would mess up my hair. I admit it, I was shallow. What turned me around was knowing that my daughter wouldn't wear one if I didn't. That made my decision simple. I call for others who have experience and love the sport to take a leadership role to encourage everyone to wear a helmet.

Bottom line: I wonder why this is even a discussion anymore. How many more high profile (or low profile) accidents do we need? Why risk leaving children motherless or fatherless to avoid a bad hair day? It may not prevent every accident from skiing, but if it saves even one wife and mother of two kids from a senseless death, that is enough for me.

Let's call it the Natasha Rule -- then maybe her death would not be entirely in vain.

Follow Bonnie St. John on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bonniestjohn

Comments

[SallijaneG]

To all who posted the reasonable request for government to stay out of this situation, THANK YOU. Skiing is risky, yes, but so is crossing a road or taking a shower. We do those without helmets; bad things happen to good people. To the person who suggested that the resort had no access to helicopters; I don't believe that is true, but I don't have time to check. It WAS reported that Ms. Richardson REFUSED an ambulance; her conscious choice, made when she was fully aware. NOBODY can force a conscious 45-year-old woman to get medical help. Bad decision? 20/20 hindsight and learning what we did about human fragility (in an awful way) say yes. But it is HER right to make that decision HERSELF—do not usurp that.
I learned from the first to ski in control. Uphill skiers can see and must avoid downhill skiers. Anyone who can't is out of control: slow down or find an easier slope. Chair lifts, though easy and fast, can lead anywhere: check first! If you're in trouble, sideslip (ask a Ski Patroller if you don't know how) or simply take your skis off and walk down the side. Support your local Ski Patrol; report reckless skiers.
Don't use Ms. Richardson's death to pass a dubious law—contribute the money for that effort and its enforcement, toward education about both skiing safety and brain injuries. A ski doctor says that helmets are a panacea, not a cure? I'll take his word.

[DenverJuggler]

Doctor: Lack of Chopper Cost Richardson

Here's the link to the article: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/entertainment/18982255/detail.html

Here's the quote: "Montreal's top head trauma doctor said not being airlifted directly to a trauma center could have cost Richardson crucial moments."

It seems if she refused treatment nothing could have been done anyway though.

I'm curious about something.
There are a lot of people here who think helmets are completely useless and a potential liability to wear while skiing.
For those people, not the ones who don't want to wear a helmet or be required to strictly for Libertarian reasons, why do you think ski resorts require children to wear a helmet?

If this is more damaging to children, you're suggesting they would want the kids to be hurt.
I don't think the statistics bear this out, but would be interested to know what you think the motivation is to have children wear ski helmets if they're ineffective or could cause injury.

[doogiedude]

Obviously I can only speak for myself but, for what it's worth, here's my take:

IMHO, children are not legally responsible for their decisions because, in the eyes of society, they are not mature and experienced enough to understand the consequences these decisions. Therefore, I think one could argue when an adult decides to have a child not wear a seatbelt for example, the adult has infringed on the rights of the child. That said, I am in favor of safety laws to protect children from themselves until the age they are legally held responsible for their actions.

However, I am not in favor of laws that protect legal adults from themselves.

This does not mean I think it is a bad or good idea to wear a ski helmet. It does mean as an adult I feel the decision should be up to me.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

How about... you need to watch a mandatory safety video once a year to get a card allowing you to buy a lift ticket?

Or SOMETHING to deal with the number of skiers and boarders who don't know the code, and, taking care of themselves aside, are a potentially lethal hazard to others.

Too many anecdotes, so little time...

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

I see both sides of this.

So howzabout:

No mandatory helmet law. But... resorts are each entitled to make helmets mandatory should they so choose?

As a "risk management" concept, you might lose a few baldies, but reduce the odds of a brain injury lawsuit.

[CVN65]

They probably already do have that authority. They should mandate helmet use up to a certain age, say 12. Let's keep the law out of it. My kids wear helmets-they keep their heads toasty warm.

[rapunzel]

A few years ago I skied during the morning when the other skiers were mostly retirees. I noticed how many wore helmets, and initially thought "wow, so many of them are racing".. .I thought racers wore helmets, but that they were not for regular skiers. Then I learned that a helmet is recommended for everyone, and bought one immediately. It is very comfortable.

The discussion about obligatory helmets happened in Germany / Austria after the high profile accident by a politician, during which a woman died. People resist the law to make helmets obligatory. I can only urge every skier be smart and to wear a helmet !!
Along the same lines, I want helmets with ear phones outlawed !!!!

[silversurfer0116]

Let me say right up front, I am against mandatory helmets for skiing and snowboarding. Mrs. Richardson's death is a sad, tragic event that has surely had an adverse effect on her family, friends, and associates. That being said she apparently died from a brain hemmorage caused by a slow speed fall on a relatively benign slope. This sort of injury and result is rare in skiing and sports in general and not confined to sports. My cousin died from an identical injury after tripping over her own feet in her living room. Many, many more people die from bath tub falls, hiking mishaps, softball mishaps, bicycle mishaps etc. not to mention driving mishaps. None of these people are required to wear helmets, nor should they be. The smarter than thou crowd may think people have no right to take what they consider excessive risk at premium payer or tax payer expense. I will be more impressed by their sermons when I see them voluntarily wearing a helmet in their sedans or suv's on their drive to the 7/11 for some Hagen Daaz. Insurance is a means to freedom from worry about the personal impact of an accident. Pay your premiums and be happy that you live in a system that allows you to live and express your life without undue restriction.

[Treehuggindirtworshiper]

Tkae a clue from peoffesional and Olympic skiers....­If they are weraring a helmet it might be a good idea. They are the best of the best and they WEAR HELMETS!

[CVN65]

They are also jumping off of cliffs or flying down the side of a mountain at speeds over 60 mph. I wonder how many of them wear helmets when free skiing.

[doogiedude]

As many posters have commented, I'm all for taking reasonable precautions.

What I'm against is any law or regulation designed to protect me from myself.

IMHO, laws and regulations should be designed to protect one's right from being infringed upon by others. I feel it should be my choice to wear a helmet, not someone elses.

With the number of auto accident fatalaties considered should a law be passed to ban driving?

For example, I think it is wise to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle. However, I think it is unwise to have a law mandating adults wear motorcycle helmets.

Just Sayin

[Treehuggindirtworshiper]

Well if people in this world weren't so sue happy we wouldn't need laws to protect people from themselves.

[doogiedude]

Thanks for the comment.

IMHO, using this logic, smoking and alcohol consumption should be illegal.

Pardon my cynicism, but is seems like laws to protect people from themselves are passed arbitrarily. I'm pretty sure helmet manufacturers would lobby very hard to have a ski helmet law passed. Probably as hard as tabacco and alcohol companies would lobby against any law prohibiting consumption of their products.

I'm not saying it is bad or good to wear a ski helmet. What I am saying is I think it should be a personal decision.

Just Sayin

[Bitsko]

While we're at it, let's put airbags on bicycles.

[swisstex]

Until we know more about her fall, I'm not sure anyone can asses the role of wearing a helmet in our collective "what if" analysis of this tragedy. I'm curious and confused about the true nature of her accident and the resort's response. I've skied for years - both with and without a helmet - and have fallen many times - including with an instructor. I've never been transported off the mountain, nor have paramedics and ambulances been summoned. The resort keeps insisting that the fall was "minor" but the responses of the instructor (who apparently summoned the ski patrol after witnessing the fall and stayed with her throughout the afternoon) and the ski patrol (whom I believe called an ambulance) don't seem consistent with a "minor" tumble. If the fall was serious enough to warrant such concern and attention, I can't understand why the resort would leave it up to the person who had potentially suffered a head injury to decide whether she needed additional medical attention.

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

swisstex- you are missing the point!!!! if anyone can benefit from wearing a helmet then
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY and wear one.

I live near a ski area and have been a ski bum for years. There is nothing to analyze-- it is common sense --I have skied 40 days a year -- and have skied over 30 years ---prevent accidents-ski safely and

WEAR A HELMET!!!! I have had a serious wipe out and my helmet saved my arse

Skiing is brilliant,

Ed

[lowgear]

here is a way to stop the top five accidental deaths:

if the gov't cared they could save about 100,000 lives per year...but they don't care about us.

Motor vehicles: 43200
Outlaw all motor vehicles

Falls: 14900
Rescind newtons law of gravity

Poisoning: 8600
Outlaw ingesting anything and breathing and touching anything.

Drowning: 4000
Outlaw ALL fluids

Fires and burns: 3700
Outlaw one of the following: fuel, oxygen or ignition source

[iride]

Deaths in US in sking accidents in 2008: 58 (USA Today)
Deaths in skiing accidents in which people were wearing helmets: 23 (USA Today)
# of skiers who hit the slopes each year: 100,000 (just a guess at this one, probably many more)

Is creating a helmet law worth the price of the slim possibility of saving less than .0001% skiers lives and robbing people from individual choice?


BTW: many house fires are caused by none working or non existing smoke detectors. Don't be suprised if you see clowns like the one who wrote this article advocating home inspections (home invasions of privacy).

[NCIndependant]

While I agree with your general point, how can a house fire be caused by a nonexistant smoke detector? :p

[iride]

Yeah and why don't we install bumpers on all tres and obstacles on ski paths too? How about seat belts on the lifts? How about we just ban skiing unless you take a 40 hour course on skiing? If you are going to limit personal choice that much why not make anyone who walks wear a helmet in case they trip?

[lowgear]

can't the gov't do something about that.
can't the gov't do something about that.
mantra

make everyone wear helmets ALL the time.
speed kills? nat'l speed limit 10MPH
children die in car accidents even with safety devices. what, do you hate children? solution: no children allowed in cars EVER.
smoking is dangerous? make it illegal and sentence all smokers to life in prison.

i'm sure you can add to the list to save us from ourselves.

[biotechwoman]

While I appreciate your comment---this discussion misses the point. That is, it is an abomination that this ski area---a major one at that--had no access to a helicopter for urgent cases. A friend of mine crashed into a tree in Andorra (Pyrenees) 3 weeks ago. He suffered 3 skull fractures and was airlifted immediately to a major teaching hospital in Barcelona where he was monitored, and underwent surgery. He is alive and functioning. And..by the way..Andor­ra and Spain have "socialized" medicine. The Canadians were just too cheap to have a helicopter.

[hippie chucker]

"After Thousands Die In Auto Accidents, A Call to Ban Driving"

[pangurban]

Actually, it was a call to wear seatbelts. Which do actually save lives.

[pangurban]

It was a call to require seat belts and it has saved thousands of lives.

[iride]

But still people die.

[haroldburbank]

The article is ridiculous and factually inaccurate. I started an international brain injury foundation for my friend gold medalist Bill Johnson after his nearly fatal 2001 racing TBI. We've raised thousands for TBI victims. No one in our camp I know favors mandatory adult helmets, though we tend to agree they can help in some cases; surely NOT much in racing (Bill cracked his wide open at only 55 mph; very slow in men's downhill where speeds exceed 90 mph). I think our people agree that there is NO case to defend the idea that helmets can remotely protect anyone or everyone from TBI at ANY speed, including 1 mph falls, all of the time. The science is not there. Indeed the opposite case is easier to make. See Dr. Mike Langran's www.ski-injury.com, concluding after years of study that helmet materials and design have NO safety effects on brains for impacts over 20 mph - NONE; and negligible safety effects on brains for impacts under 20 mph - NO EXCEPTIONS. Docs, ski patrol, and other well meaning people tell you otherwise, and some Canada politicians are beating their chests for mandatory helmets since the Richardson accident, but they have NO science whatsoever to back their claims - NONE. If so, like Dr, Langran, cite it and subject it to rigorous peer review as he has for YEARS. Case closed. Langran, a ski doc, opposes mandatory helmets for adults accordingly.

[biotechwoman]

Thank you for your insight and facts. I completely agree. I live in the French Alps and have been a skier for over 35 years. The introduction of helmets and carved skis have only made things more dangerous. All sorts of yobs ski completely out of control. Monitoring is the issue---and removing people's lift passes if they ski too fast.

[rapunzel]

You are right, reckless skiing is a huge issue. Plus the snowboarders who have not learned to keep their boards straight when getting off a lift.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Before helmets and parabolic skis, I'd look to the X-Games mindset.