Skiing Top Tips for staying safe

Written by Phillip Johnson

Wednesday, 02 January 2013 12:05

Winter is finally here and it’s that time of year when thousands of Brits head over to France and other parts of Europe in search of fresh snow. However, there are inevitably dangers involved with extreme sports and often holidaymakers find themselves involved in a snowboarding or skiing accident. Therefore, we have created a list of tips to help prevent you being involved in a skiing or snowboarding accident. 1. Stick to the FIS ski rules. The FIS rules are designed to improve the safety of skiers on the slope. Sticking to the FIS rules will ensure that you are as safe as you can possibly be when skiing and snowboarding. Sticking to these rules will minimise your risk of being involved in a skiing accident. See Rules of the slope for further information. 2. Don’t ski too fast. You are at the top of the piste, the adrenaline is pumping and you are tempted to ski down the slope as fast as possible. We all experience this, but it is important to remember that the majority of skiing accident injuries are as a result of excessive speeds on the slope. Remember, skiing too fast can put yourself and others in danger and increase the likelihood of a skiing accident or skiing injury. 3. Avoid alcohol. It is common sense that drinking whilst skiing will significantly increase your chance of being involved in a skiing or snowboarding accident abroad.  Altitude makes you more susceptible to the effects of alcohol and you could seriously endanger yourself and others if skiing under the influence of alcohol. 4. Know your limits. Don’t run before you can walk.  Skiing down routes which are too advanced for your ability is likely to lead to a skiing accident. As a result of this you may become liable for a skiing accident compensation claim if you are found to be at fault. Therefore, to avoid a skiing or snowboarding accident stick to what your good at and enjoy your skiing trip injury free. 5. Have respect for others. Having the whole slope to yourself would be a dream come true for all of us! Unfortunately this is not a reality and we will always find ourselves surrounded by other skiers. It can be very frustrating if another skier or snowboarder gets in your way. However, you should avoid overtaking dangerously or trying any manoeuvres that may endanger yourselves and others. If every skier respects each other on the slope then the likelihood of a skiing accident will reduce. The last thing any skier wants for Christmas are cuts, bruises and broken bones as a result of a skiing accident injury. 6. Get insured Hopefully it's not too late, but make sure you have travel insurance with generous coverage for winter sports. You never know what is going to happen. Sadly, accidents happen and you may need medical cover or possibly to be flown back home. If something does go wronmg on the slopes and you have a ski accidnet, you could also be liable to pay compensation, so liability insurance is really important. The costs can easily run into their £1,000s so insurance is a must. Following these top tips should help us all avoid skiing injuries. However, it is inevitable that not all skiers will stick to these rules and you may be unfortunate enough to be involved in a skiing accident in France or anywhere else in Europe. If you are injured in a skiing accident that was not your fault then there are a number of things you can do to improve the strength of your skiing accident compensation claim. No matter how minor your injury is please do not hesitate to contact one of our expert skiing accident compensation solicitors who can run your skiing compensation claim on a no win no fee basis. For more information you can contact us via our website at: www.accidents-abroad.com