Sledding is a great recreational activity that the whole family can enjoy together during the winter months. Every year thousands of people take to the hills for a ride or two on a sled. If not careful, sledding activities can be dangerous and may lead to injury. Most sledding injuries are preventable though, so by becoming aware of the risks, you can keep you and your friends and family sledding safely.
Sledding injuries occur as a result of colliding with another sled or object, losing control of equipment, or falling of the equipment while sliding. Sledding injuries can happen to people of all ages. The majority of sledding injuries occur to children between the ages of 5 and 14 with boys being hurt more often than girls.
Sledding safety can be divided into four areas-site, behavior, equipment, and supervision.
Site
- Choose hills with a gentle slope and long run off area.
- Choose snowy hills and avoid icy surfaces.
- Stay away from roads, rivers, railways, parking lots, and barbed wire fences.
Behavior
- Go down the hill sitting up or kneeling on the sled. Never go head first.
- Be sure the path is clear of people and objects before beginning your descent.
- If you fall off your sled or stop unexpectedly, quickly move out of the way of other sledders.
- Walk back up the side of the hill away from other sledders.
- Rest when tired and go inside when you are cold.
Equipment
- Dress properly with hats, mittens or gloves, and warm, waterproof footwear.
- To prevent strangulation do not wear clothing with drawstrings that could get caught under the sled.
- Wear a properly fitted helmet (such as a bike or ski helmet) to reduce the risk of serious head injury.
- Choose sledding equipment that you can steer and stop.
Supervision
- Children under 12 should be supervised by a responsible adult.
- Children under 5 should have a responsible adult with them on the slide.
- Monitor children for wet clothes, chilling, frostbite, and fatigue.