Do Helmets Reduce Fatalities or Merely Alter the Patterns of Death?

Volume 5, Issue 10 (November 2008)

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ISSN: 1546-962X
Published Online: 30 December 2008
Page Count: 4

Do Helmets Reduce Fatalities or Merely Alter the Patterns of Death?

Shealy, Jasper E.
Professor Emeritus, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester,NY

Johnson, Robert J.
Professor, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington,VT

Ettlinger, Carl F.
President, Vermont Safety Research, Underhill Center,VT

(Received 5 November 2007; accepted 2 October 2008)

Abstract

The use of helmets has been proposed as a means of reducing the incidence of fatality in skiing and snowboarding. This paper presents results that suggest that while helmets may be effective at preventing minor injuries, they have not been shown to reduce the overall incidence of fatality in skiing and snowboarding even though as many as 40 % of the population at risk are currently using helmets. The results indicate that the use of a helmet will indeed influence the primary cause of death, but perhaps not the ultimate outcome.

Keywords:
ski, snowboard, death, fatality

Paper ID: JAI101504
DOI: 10.1520/JAI101504
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.

Author Title Do Helmets Reduce Fatalities or Merely Alter the Patterns of Death? Symposium 17th Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, 2007-05-19 Committee F27

		SEDL / Journals / Journal of ASTM International (JAI) / Citation Page Volume 5, Issue 10 (November 2008) Click here to download this paper now for $25 PDF (60K) View License Agreement ISSN: 1546-962X Published Online: 30 December 2008 Page Count: 4 Do Helmets Reduce Fatalities or Merely Alter the Patterns of Death? Shealy, Jasper E. Professor Emeritus, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester,NY Johnson, Robert J. Professor, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington,VT Ettlinger, Carl F. President, Vermont Safety Research, Underhill Center,VT (Received 5 November 2007; accepted 2 October 2008) Abstract The use of helmets has been proposed as a means of reducing the incidence of fatality in skiing and snowboarding. This paper presents results that suggest that while helmets may be effective at preventing minor injuries, they have not been shown to reduce the overall incidence of fatality in skiing and snowboarding even though as many as 40 % of the population at risk are currently using helmets. The results indicate that the use of a helmet will indeed influence the primary cause of death, but perhaps not the ultimate outcome. Keywords: ski, snowboard, death, fatality Paper ID: JAI101504 DOI: 10.1520/JAI101504 ASTM International is a member of CrossRef. Author Title Do Helmets Reduce Fatalities or Merely Alter the Patterns of Death? Symposium 17th Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, 2007-05-19 Committee F27