Helmets Have a Place on the Slopes, Op-ed

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece by Dr. Natalie Yanchar, president, Injury-Free Nova Scotia and Julian Young, injury prevention and control co-ordinator, Health Promotion and Protection.

Helmets save lives and prevent brain injuries. It's been proven time and time again, in research studies, in emergency rooms and on streets, trails and hills in communities across Nova Scotia.

Helmet use has become the norm for motorized activities like driving a motorcycle or snowmobiling. In the last decade, bicycle helmet use has skyrocketed. And, last year, the death of a famous actress on a Quebec ski hill raised the profile of helmet use for skiing and snowboarding.

The Canadian Medical Association Journal has released a study that found wearing a helmet while skiing and snowboarding reduces the risk of brain injuries by as much as 35 per cent. Brain injuries can happen to anyone at any time -- from the most experienced enthusiasts to the few-times-a-year skiers, from those who enjoy high speeds and complicated jumps to those who prefer lessons on the bunny hill. If that's the case, then why aren't more Nova Scotians, and more Canadians, wearing helmets on the slopes?

We expect there are many reasons why more people are not wearing helmets -- awareness of their importance, habit, perception to name a few. Legislation and policy also play a role. The good news is, we're tackling all of these issues in Nova Scotia.

This year, the Department of Health Promotion and Protection teamed up with the QEII division of neurosurgery and Nova Scotia's three ski hills (Martock, Wentworth, and Ben Eoin) to better understand who is wearing helmets and how we can increase their use. While we're encouraged by what we're seeing, it's clear there are still many who need convincing. This data will inform future action be it policy, legislation, education, or a combination of the three.

Nova Scotia's ski hills deserve much credit for their helmet policies. They've set the bar high for other jurisdictions in Canada. The operators have been promoting helmet use for many years and recently worked together to make their policies as similar as possible so that no matter where you ski, the same helmet rules apply. While the current policies do not make helmets mandatory for everyone, ski hill operators are doing more to encourage helmet use.

Some would argue wearing a helmet is about personal choice, yet the impact of a brain injury goes well beyond the individual who gets hurt. A serious brain injury can impact family, employment, community and the health-care system.

Skiing and snowboarding are great ways to be active and enjoy the Nova Scotia winter. Wearing a helmet doesn't diminish the fun or the physical benefits of these activities. Be active, get outdoors, ski and snowboard, but do it safely. Protect your most important asset -- your brain!

That way you can keep doing the things you love all year for the rest of your life.