Helmet Use in Sledding: Do Users Comply with Manufacturer Warnings?

Sledding, like other recreational sports, is associated with inherent risks of injury in which behavioral factors may influence the accident and injury modes. In the present work, we examined the rate of personal protective equipment (PPE) usage and its relationship to various environmental and user characteristics at three popular sledding sites in California. Experimenters measured speeds and collected observations of equipment type, helmet use, sledder age and gender, along with on-product warnings and safety information for some of the products observed during data collection. The recorded sledder speeds were within the range of impact speeds for which helmets have been shown to reduce the likelihood of head injury. Despite this, and despite the prevalence of on-product warnings recommending helmet use, the observed usage rate of protective equipment while sledding was less than 5 percent for all sledders. Given the importance of helmets in reducing the risk of head injury in snowsports, these findings have important implications for the snowsport and broader safety community.

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