Increasing safety
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Accidents
There were 57 deaths during the 2021-22 season and 53 catastrophic accidents causing paralysis, loss of a limb, or serious head injuries in 2022-23 in addition to all other sprains and broken bones. The effects of these devastating injuries to the victims and the people around them are told in the stories at the bottom of this page. Safety is a growing concern, but if a serious accident has impacted you or one or someone you know it is a top priority that has made some people quit skiing. The good news is safety can be improved with technology and a new approach to instruction. Safety can become a competitive advantage rather than a liability.
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The problems can be seen on blue runs where most accidents occur. It is hard to believe with the number of close calls and minor accidents that the number of serious accidents and deaths is not much higher. No one knows how many people no longer participate because of the danger.
If aviation had this many accidents, large scale investigations would be looking for the causes and finding solutions. Airlines don’t say that flying is dangerous so do it at your own risk, because they are not responsible. These risks are considered part of the cost of participation, but people don’t even know the cost because it is so hard to get statistics on the number of deaths and accidents.
Technology
Skiers are using apps to track their vertical feet, maximum speed, and in some cases to earn pins, or move higher on a leaderboard. What resorts see as fun gamification is making the slopes more dangerous and exposing them to greater risk. Add to that many who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs and the danger is even greater.
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This same technology could be used to track skiers speed in slow speed zones and automatically shut off RFID lift access for speeders for a period of time. Anyone causing a collision and not stopping could be found quickly and lift access shut off. Skiers may act more responsibly if they know they are being tracked.
Some skiers may think this interferes with the sense freedom skiing provides, but skiers also want the freedom to enjoy time on the slopes with their family without being in a serious accident or killed. It will take more than additional signs, slogans, cameras, and more patrollers yelling slow down.
Time slots ​
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Limited time access would make skiing safer and more affordable. Many participants lack the fitness or desire to ski for more than an hour or two, especially first timers. As skiers age they may feel they can not ski long enough to make it worth the costs. If they push it longer than they should accidents happen. With RFID, selling time periods will make things safer, and encourage more participation at affordable prices.
Lift access
This same idea of limited access can be applied to lifts, beyond the beginner area. It makes it cheaper and keeps people from going to slopes that they are not ready for yet.
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Incentivize improvement
First timers are often want to try runs that are beyond them. Friends and families will also encourage skiing terrain that is too challenging because they do not know when it is time for a harder runs, the only goal is harder slopes.
Some resorts have programs for school groups that limits where students can ski until they achieve a certain level of ability. This could be done for other skiers with RFID technology that allows them progress to more advances slopes as their skills develop. Awarding pins and providing a leaderboard recognition in the form of a score would motivate participation. Our ski score is like a golf score that motivates people to improve as a challenge.
Having a great safety record could be a competitive advantage for a resort. Like insurance, give a discount for certain pins. ​This would also make it more affordable as they progress and get access to more lifts.
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Instruction for control
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Only about 7 percent of all skier visits involve instruction. More instruction would make the slopes safer especially if it focuses on helping guests to ski in control. It is the first rule of "Your responsibility code" but it is not worth having rules if people can not follow them.
Traditional instruction is created by top instructors who are very enthusiastic about expert skiing. They attend an international meeting of instructors and compare the technique of top skiers. Instructors who represent their countries have to train very hard to develop expert technique, some are just top demonstrators. In a few countries they even need to ski within a certain time compared to a World Cup racer. This traditional approach can work for fit and athletic enthusiast but makes slopes less safe by not focusing on control for beginner and recreational skiers.
The average skier only skis less than 6 times a season, many are older, out of shape, and not athletic. They often just want to ski more of the resort with their family, with more confidence and control, they are not trying to carve expert slopes at high speeds. We teach a progression that develops control from the start.
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​ Speed
Carving skis and more grooming have increased speeds on blue terrain where most accidents occur.​
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People cannot drive without training and testing, but they can ski any run as fast as they want without instruction or assessment. In serious crashes, it is sometimes assumed that no one was at fault, "it was just an accident". Maybe no one intends to cause a crash, but skiing out of control is something many skiers do because they do not know how to slow down.
Most people learn from their family and friends or try to ski on their own. They assume it will be easy and expect to quickly be skiing bigger slopes. Their friends take them to slopes that are too difficult before they are ready. This creates a safety and growth problem with 81 percent not returning. The ones who do return usually have trouble controlling their speed because they see the goals as harder runs and the thrilling experience of going faster.
Beginners need to know what to do before skiing, where to start, how to stop and turn, and how to tell when they are ready for the bigger hills.
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Stories on safety
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The comments detail many more accidents
Collisions with another person while skiing or riding
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Jackson Hole Skier Collision Death Ruled a Homicide | SKI (skimag.com)
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Fatal Collision: It’s Time to Act - SeniorsSkiing.com
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IS RESORT SKIING GETTING MORE DANGEROUS? - SeniorsSkiing.com
https://coloradosun.com/2023/09/06/fort-lewis-college-slide-with-respect-survey/
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Letter to the editor: It’s time for ski resorts to start putting up cameras | SummitDaily.com
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At least 16 people died on Colorado slopes this season
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This group is most likely to have a fatal accident
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Ski fatalities, while rare, show small but marked increase in recent years (bostonglobe.com)
Colorado ski areas: 5 years of crashes, injuries and hit-and-runs (coloradosun.com)
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Has skiing become too fast and too furious? (telegraph.co.uk)
Hospital reports dramatic increase in accidents at Swiss ski resorts (iamexpat.ch)
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https://www.mcquaidinjurylaw.com/skisnowboard-accident-statistics