Fresh calls for helmets to be made compulsory
Monday August 9, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

The latest person to perish was a snowboarder who fell on a traverse at the Mt Hutt ski area.

He tumbled down 300m and crashed over some rocks and sustained head injuries.

He was not wearing a helmet, but reports say it is unclear if one would have saved him.

We reported the details of the accident here on PlaneSKI last week.

Now the Mountain Safety Council has told radio New Zealand that it thinks there is a growing momentum for helmets to be made compulsory in the country.

The organisation recommends skiers and climbers to wear a helmet, but is against compulsion.

There is already some compulsion in Europe, but it mainly affects children.

Compulsory for children in ItalyThere is a growing level of compulsion in North America with some resorts making it compulsory for employees to wear one while they are working.

In California legislation is going through to make it mandatory for everyone under 18 years of age.

In the UK a new academic survey has just been launched to assess people's attitudes to wearing a helmet; you can find out about the survey and take part in it by seeing this related PlanetSKI story.

In Mt Hutt 3 people have died in skiing accidents this season and it has provoked the new debate.

Prior to this season the last fatality was in 2005.

One of the people that died this winter was wearing a helmet at the time of her accident.

Investigations are going on into all the accidents and will be taking into account the wearing of helmets.

The debate is being followed in the NZ ski media at the moment.

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