Snowboarding can be a dangerous activity, but there are ways to limit the risks. Accidents happen, and snowboarders die every year. Always adhering to safe riding practices and wearing a helmet will help you stay safe when you ride.
I’ve been snowboarding for decades, and I’ve had countless hours of fun along the way. I’ve also encountered my fair share of dangerous situations, and I know how risky riding can be.
This post will explain why snowboarding is dangerous. I’ll highlight some of the potential hazards that exist any time you are on the mountain and give you some advice to reduce the risk of injury.
Let’s jump in.
Contents
Why Snowboarding is Dangerous
Snowboarding is dangerous. It’s a lot of fun and one of my favorite activities of all time, but you are taking a risk any time you hit the slopes.
Think about what snowboarding involves for a minute. You are flying at high speeds down a steep mountain with many obstacles all around. One wrong move or slip up can send you flying end over end.
Crashes and wipeouts are common for riders of all ability levels, and it doesn’t take much for even a minor wipeout to result in injury. You can break bones, sprain knees and wrists, and get all sorts of other injuries on the mountain.
Another reason why snowboarding is dangerous is because of how many people can be out on the slopes. Just because you are riding safely doesn’t mean that the person behind you or in front of you is.
Some of the worst accidents I’ve seen on the mountain have been caused by out-of-control riders who have crashed into other people. So even if you think you are being safe, you never know what can happen when you are out there.
The cold winter weather conditions are another danger of the sport. Hypothermia and frostbite are constant possibilities, and these are two severe conditions that you don’t want to experience any time soon.
How to Ride Safer
Even though snowboarding is inherently dangerous, there are some steps you can take to reduce your risks and ride safer.
The first safety consideration every rider should make is to wear a helmet. Head injuries can easily kill you, and you reduce the risk of these drastically when you wear a helmet. Helmets are affordable and easy to get, so wear one!
You should also ride within your ability levels and stay in control at all times. If you don’t feel ready to take that steep tree run or aren’t comfortable going full blast at top speeds, don’t do it!
Riding out of control is one of the biggest factors for increasing the dangers to yourself and other riders. Trust me, you don’t want to be responsible for hurting someone else on the mountain because you were out of control.
Another important thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want to ride when fatigued. I’ve seen more injuries and wipeouts on the last run of the day than any other time. There’s no shame in calling it an early day if your legs are jello.
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about whether snowboarding is dangerous.
How many deaths are caused by snowboarding?
Every year, people die from snowboarding. Although it’s not as deadly as riding a car or other activities, there are still about 24 ski and snowboarding-related death every year, according to a study conducted over twenty years.
How common are snowboarding injuries?
Snowboarding injuries are very common. People get injured just about every day at every resort. Most of these injuries are relatively minor, like knee and wrist sprains. But more severe injuries like broken bones and brain damage are possible.
Which one is more dangerous ski or snowboard?
Skiing and snowboarding are both pretty dangerous and come with similar risks. One of these activities is not more dangerous than the other, and you have a chance of getting injured any time you are on the mountain.
Conclusion
Snowboarding is dangerous, and it always will be. But you can reduce the risk of injury by always riding in control and wearing a helmet. Accidents happen, but you want to limit them as much as possible.
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