Winter has arrived with early snow – and some great conditions for outdoor fun. That means kids will be grabbing their sleds and heading for the hills. How can you keep your child safe on the slopes?
8 Sledding Safety Tips:
- Choose your child’s sled with care. One of the safer designs allows your child to sit up with their legs and feet in front of them. Good handles are a must! Foam boards and inflatable tubes are two options that are quite popular.
- Those of us old enough to remember sledding in the 1950s and 1960s remember adventures without much regard for equipment safety. Given that we now have faster sleds and more congested slopes – that attitude has to change. And keeping your child’s head safe in the event of a collision has to be a high priority. Consider purchasing a ski helmet for your child – or insist that they wear a well-made bike helmet next time they go careening down the slopes.
- Teach your children about safe sledding techniques. Encourage them to always sled with their feet in front, sitting in an upright position. Remind them to wait until their path is completely clear before heading down the hill and to get out of the path of other sledders the moment their ride is over. Finally – insist on one rider per sled.
- Choose the hills with care. Seek locations that are not too steep, that are free of obstacles, and that have a long flat bottom that will provide time for stopping. Avoid hills with ponds, streams, roads, fences or parking lots at the base. And seek hills that are not too congested if you can find one.
- Try to avoid conditions that will lead to excess speeds. Icy conditions often produce dangerous speeds and can make falls much more likely as well.
- Temperatures in the depth of winter can often reach levels that can produce hypothermia and frostbite. Make sure your children are dressed for the conditions before the fun starts.
- Don’t let your child sled at night.
- Always supervise young children and never let your child ride a sled pulled by a motor vehicle of any kind.
If your child is ever injured during winter activities as a result of another person’s negligence and you need help, call us. The personal injury lawyers at RisCassi & Davis have been helping accident victims for over 65 years. What’s more, our personal injury lawyers have received considerable local and national recognition for our handling of injury cases. If you would like a free consultation about your injury, please contact us today.
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