"American skier Scott Macartney was released from a hospital Wednesday, four days after he suffered a concussion and was placed in a medically induced coma following a crash during a World Cup downhill race.... Macartney was clocked at 140 km/h when he crashed Saturday in Kitzbuehel... he lost his balance at the final jump and fell on his head, the impact breaking his helmet. He briefly lost consciousness and organizers said at the time he had a brain contusion."
"A Bucks County man has died while skiing at the Steamboat Ski Area in Colorado, but authorities say they haven't determined the cause of death. (The skier) was found dead on an intermediate ski run on Tuesday, where he was skiing with his daughter and friends when he fell behind. They reported him missing when he failed to show up at the base."
" A 15-year-old skier from Oklahoma died Friday at Wolf Creek Ski Area after smashing into a tree.... he apparently suffered head and neck injuries, though results of an autopsy were not yet available... the skier was wearing a helmet."(Sources: here, here, and here).
Some point to helmets as a precaution:
"While helmet use has increased about 5% annually for the past several years to nearly 40% for skiers and snowboarders, "it still isn't where we'd like it to be... they are advised for skiers at any age and level of experience."While others say helmets do not save lives:
"...a new study reports that although more people are donning helmets, wearing them hasn't decreased accident-related deaths. The National Ski Areas Association's report said that about 37 people have been killed each year on the slopes, for the past ten years, a rate that has not decreased since helmet use became more widespread.Interestingly, one researcher (Jasper Shealy, a professor emeritus at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester) conducted research that found skiing fatalities were most likely to occur on wide, smooth and well-groomed intermediate-level "blue" trails.
"More people are wearing helmets and they prevent injuries... the helmet has a way of deflecting force a way from the skull and the brain itself."
"
However, the potential benefits of wearing a helmet seem obvious:
"Wearing a helmet doesn't give you license to do the most dangerous stunts possible. But if you take a spill, having one is still the best idea considering the alternative.
Once you fall and hit your head you'll realize why"
"You can't really have fun if you're dead," said a snowboarder. "Concussions suck.""
