Alpine Winter Sports

I wouldn’t dream of letting my kids out on the slopes without a ski helmet, but when i first learnt to ski literally no one wore them. Over the last ten years there has been a huge increase in the number of both adults and children wearing ski helmets when taking to the slopes for that annual skiing trip. With the Swiss Alps being one of the most popular skiing locations in the world, the question is – what is the Swiss stance on the use of protective headwear on the slopes?

Many countries, including France, Germany, Switzerland and Italy simply encourage the use of ski helmets without making it compulsory. However, as the general global awareness of health and safety has increased, some countries have made it compulsory for children to wear a helmet. Interestingly, despite a relatively laid back approach to helmet use (or perhaps because of it), the Swiss Council for the Prevention of Accidents has seen a sharp increase in the number of people wearing helmets in the last five years; 63% of adults and 97% of children now wear a helmet on the slopes (only 16% of adults wore a helmet five years ago).

With thousands of people every year suffering from head injuries on the Swiss Alps, the importance of head protection should not be underestimated, particularly when it comes to children. There are a wide range of kid’s ski helmets on the market, the trick being that they are something of a fashion item these days, so most children are more than happy to wear one. 

Thanks to Chris Parker for research for this blog article. If you would like to learn more about the importance of children’s ski helmets and get some ideas for where to buy them, please feel free to click through to Chris’s site at Ski Helmets For Kids.