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ASTM Selected Technical Papers
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Thirteenth Volume
By
RJ Johnson
RJ Johnson
1
University of Vermont
?
Burlington, VA
;
editor
Search for other works by this author on:
P Zucco
P Zucco
2
Pavia,
Italy
;
editor
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JE Shealy
JE Shealy
3
Rochester Institute of Technology
?
Rochester, NY
;
editor
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ISBN-10:
0-8031-2876-2
ISBN:
978-0-8031-2876-7
No. of Pages:
209
Publisher:
ASTM International
Publication date:
2000

This study looks at trauma-related death rates and modalities of death between snowboarding and skiing. The snowboarding population is younger and has a higher percentage of males. Thus, based on the demographics of risk taking, one would expect the snowboarding fatality rate to be higher if the objective risk of death was the same between the two activities. This study spans the time period from 1991/92 to 1998/99 in the United States utilizing data generated by NSAA for both deaths and skier visit counts. The study specifically includes deaths occurring to recreational skiers and snowboarders who suffered an immediate traumatic death within the bounds of the patrolled ski area. Specifically excluded are deaths to employees, medical emergency deaths (i.e., cardiac arrest, etc.), and back country skiers. During this time there were a total of 426.4 million participant visits (MPV) and 285 fatalities to patrons of ski areas in the United States. Snowboarders accounted for 28 of the deaths (9.8%), and 257 were to skiers (90.2%). Snowboarders generated 61.5 MPV (14.4%), and skiers generated 365.9 MPV. The overall rate of snowboarding deaths (0.46 per MSV) is 35% lower than for alpine skiing (0.70 per MSV); conversely, the alpine skiing fatality rate is 54% higher than for snowboarding. The percent of deaths due to impact is higher for skiing than snowboarding, while the death rate for jumping and tree-well related deaths is higher for snowboarding than skiing.

1.
Shealy
,
J. E.
, “
Snowboard vs. Downhill Skiing Injuries
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Ninth International Symposium
, ASTM STP 1182,
Johnson
R. J.
,
Mote
,
C. D.
 Jr.
, and
Zelcer
J.
, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1993
, pp. 241–254.
2.
National Center for Health Statistics
, “
Advance Report of Final Mortality Statistics, 1980
,” Monthly Vital Statistics Report 31 (
09
1983
): pp. 22–36, cited in
O'Neill
Baker, S. P.
, and
Karpf
,
R. S.
,
The Injury Fact Book
,
Lexington Books
,
1984
, p. 19.
3.
Shealy
,
J. E.
and
Thomas
,
T.
, “
Death in Downhill Skiing from 1976 through 1992—A Retrospective View
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Tenth International Symposium
, ASTM STP 1266,
Mote
,
C. D.
 Jr.
,
Johnson
R. J.
,
Hauser
W.
, and
Schaff
P. S.
, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1996
, pp. 66–72.
4.
Shealy
,
J. E.
, “
Death in Downhill Skiing
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Fifth International Symposium
, ASTM STP 860,
Johnson
R. J.
and
Mote
,
C. D.
 Jr.
, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1985
, pp. 349–357.
5.
Morrow
,
P. L.
,
McQuillen
,
E. N.
,
Eaton
,
L. A.
, and
Bernstein
,
C. J.
, “
Downhill Ski Fatalities: The Vermont Experience
,”
The Journal of Trauma
 0022-5282,
01
1988
, pp. 95–100.
6.
Berghold
,
F.
, “
Fatal Skiing Accidents in Austria-Epidemiology and Analysis
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Seventh International Symposium
, ASTM STP 1022,
Johnson
R. J.
,
Mote
C. D.
 Jr.
, and
Binet
M.H
, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1989
, pp. 63–68.
7.
Sherry
,
E.
and
Macken
,
L.
, “
Deaths from Skiing in Australia, 1953–1990
,” presented, but not published, at the
Ninth International Symposium on Ski Trauma and Skiing Safety
,
Thredbo, New South Wales, Australia
, 6–12 June 1991.
8.
Shealy
,
J. E.
, “
Snowboard vs. Downhill Skiing Injuries
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Ninth International Symposium
, ASTM STP 1182,
Johnson
R. J.
,
Mote
,
C. D.
 Jr.
, and
Zelcer
J.
, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1993
, pp. 241–254.
9.
Shealy
,
J. E.
,
Ettlinger
,
C. F.
, and
Buonomo
,
V.
, “
Epidemiology of Snowboarding Injuries
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Eleventh International Symposium
, ASTM STP 1289,
Johnson
R. J.
,
Mote
,
C. D.
 Jr.
, and
Ekeland
A.
, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1997
, pp. 49–59.
10.
Janes
,
P. C.
and
Abbott
, Jr.
, “
The Colorado Snowboarding Injury Study: Eight Year Results
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Twelfth International Symposium
, ASTM STP 1345,
Johnson
R. J.
, Ed.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1999
, pp. 141–149.
11.
Shealy
,
J. E.
, “
Snowboard vs. Downhill Skiing Injuries
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Ninth International Symposium
, ASTM STP 1182,
Johnson
R. J.
,
Mote
,
C. D.
 Jr.
, and
Zelcer
J.
, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1993
, pp. 241–254.
12.
Shealy
,
J. E.
,
Ettlinger
,
C. F.
, and
Buonomo
,
V.
, “
Epidemiology of Snowboarding Injuries
,”
Skiing Trauma and Safety: Eleventh International Symposium
, ASTM STP 1289,
Johnson
R. J.
,
Mote
,
C. D.
 Jr.
, and
Ekeland
A.
, Eds.,
American Society for Testing and Materials
,
West Conshohocken, PA
,
1997
, pp. 49–59.
13.
Cadman
,
R.
, “
Non-Avalanche Related Snow Immersion Deaths: An Emerging Trend at British Columbia Ski Areas
,” presented at the
13th ISSS International Congress on Ski Trauma and Skiing Safety
, 2–8 May 1999,
Cervenia, Italy
.
14.
Morrow
,
P. L.
, “
Ski Fatalities: the Vermont Experience
,” presented at
13th ISSS International Congress on Ski Trauma and Skiing Safety
, 2–8 May 1999,
Cervenia, Italy
.
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