Natasha Richardson Accident Renews the Need to Wear Helmets

The Recent accidental death of Natasha Richardson emphasizes the need for the use of helmets while skiing and snowboarding whether they are children or adults. It has been reported that she was not wearing a helmet while taking private lessons on the bunny hill of the ski resort Mont Tremblant in Canada. It shows that even the most innocent of activities can prove to be dangerous without the proper equipment.

Helmet safety has made great headway in the sport of bicycling. Although first aimed at children more and more adults now wear helmets while riding. The use of helmets while riding bicycles is contributing to less head injuries due to accidents. The same thing is starting to appear on the ski slopes. Most children today start out or are required to wear helmets on the slopes. However the amount of adults wearing helmets on the slopes is considerably less. Some may attribute this fact to style; a big bulky helmet does not enhance one's appearance. The same could be said for bicycle helmets for bicycle helmets where they too were considered a fashion faux pas. But the more people that wore them the more they became the norm. What I also believe helped the cause was the notoriety of Lance Armstrong. Seeing him wearing a helmet made donning one more acceptable or cool.

Perhaps now with the notoriety of the Natasha Richardson story more people will be aware of the importance of wearing helmets on the ski slope. Whether you're a child or adult, beginner or expert wearing a helmet can significantly reduce head injuries due to accidents.