January 8, 1999
Web posted at: 4:47 p.m. EST (2147 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Skiing injuries like the ones that killed Congressman Sonny Bono and Michael Kennedy could be reduced and possibly avoided by using helmets, says a government report released Friday.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is recommending that skiers and snowboarders wear helmets to reduce the risk of head injuries. The CPSC said using helmets could cut nearly in half the number of deaths related to skiing and snowboarding.

"We're giving people the best safety information we have: That when they do ski, they should decide to wear helmets," commission Chairwoman Ann Brown said in an interview.

The study says helmet use could prevent or reduce the severity of 44 percent of head injuries to adults that occur while skiing or snowboarding. Protective headgear could do the same for 53 percent of head injuries to children under age 15.

In 1997, there were 17,500 head injuries associated with skiing and snowboarding.

Vanity may prevent helmet use

However, getting more people to voluntarily wear helmets may be a problem because there are obstacles, including fears that helmets may reduce speed, cost and vanity.

"It's something that people don't think is cool," said Gary Taylor, manager of racing events at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Head injuries among skiers have declined in recent years, from 13,600 in 1993 to 12,700 in 1997. But snowboarding injuries nearly tripled and the number of head injuries caused by snowboarding increased fivefold during that period.

The commission hopes the same efforts that have led to increased use of helmets by in-line skaters and bicyclists will prompt those heading to the slopes to take a helmet.

The skiing deaths of Bono on January 5, 1998, and of Kennedy the week before also have helped attract attention to the importance of the safety gear.