The world of snow sports can be hazardous. Combining high speeds with natural barriers such as rocks and trees can result in catastrophic injuries or even death.
Despite this, individuals continue to ascend the slopes. According to the National Ski Area Association, skier fatalities have been relatively stable in the United States over the past decade.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are the leading cause of skiing-related fatalities. They result from a blow to the head that causes damage or loss of function.
The degree of traumatic brain injury depends on the age, gender, and medical history of the patient. Some individuals may recover from a moderate TBI without any issues. Still, others may develop severe symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, or seizures, resulting in hospitalization or even death.
Men are more likely than females to sustain a TBI and are more likely to be hospitalized for treatment. This gap may be attributable to males being more prone to participate in risky behaviors that raise their likelihood of injury, exacerbate symptoms, and heighten their risk of repeated injury.
Falls, car accidents, and assaults are common causes of traumatic brain injury. However, traumatic brain injury, such as from explosions, can also occur during the conflict. Common causes of TBI include injuries from various sports, including soccer, boxing, football, baseball, lacrosse, skateboarding, hockey, and other high-impact or extreme sports.
Most skiing injuries and fatalities result from collisions with other skiers or fixed objects. This can be caused by carelessness, inexperience, or a skier who has lost control.
In extreme circumstances, the careless skier may be responsible for all your injuries and property damage. You may even be able to initiate a personal injury claim for compensation against them.
Brain trauma is another frequent cause of deadly skiing accidents. Helmets are not 100 percent effective but can minimize the likelihood of sustaining a head injury.
A new CDC study indicated that traumatic brain injuries are rising in winter sports, with snowboarding and skiing accounting for more than half of these injuries. These injuries may cause permanent disability or cognitive impairment and a decline in life quality.
Avalanches are the most significant cause of skiing mortality in the United States. According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, more people have been killed by avalanches in the state than by any other natural hazard since 1950.
Conditions permitting, avalanches can occur at any time of the year but most frequently between December and April. Extreme snowfall and snowstorms generate avalanche-prone circumstances.
The most common type of avalanche is the slab avalanche, which happens when snowpack layers collapse and flow down a slope. Depending on their shape, slab avalanches can either be hard or soft.
Skiers and snowmobilers are at risk from slab avalanches because the avalanche might carry them away and bury them. Slab avalanches kill more individuals than other forms of avalanches. The majority of avalanche victims are recreational backcountry users.
Nonavalanche-related snow immersion deaths (NARSID), or snow immersion suffocation, are the most common cause of tree-well mortality (SIS). These fatalities occur when skiers or snowboarders fall face-first into a deep vacuum of loose snow, such as a tree well.
In addition, they typically die within minutes of falling. After a fall into a tree well, the body's carbon dioxide levels decrease rapidly, making it challenging to rebreathe.
Thus, experts urge that all skiers and snowboarders go in pairs. Hence, rescue efforts can commence quickly if a tree well presents itself.
Several fatalities have occurred in tree wells at resorts in western North America. These incidents frequently occur during and after significant snowfalls when skiers and snowboarders search for fresh powder.
