Helmet laws for New York's young skiers?

I spotted this just now on facebook. In an effort to produce some fun threads for the Woodstove I figured I would throw it in here. Is New York a ridiculous nanny state? Or is this a good move since kids can be a little irresponsible and unaware of risk?

Out here I don't ever see any kids skiing without helmets and it's never occurred to me that any laws are needed for such a thing. As a parent it seems like a no brainer (no pun intended) but at the same time I value freedom and the freedom to choose when it comes to safety.

Here is the article. http://unofficialnetworks.com/2016/06/new-law-could-make-skiers-under-14-wear-helmets-in-new-york-state

New Jersey passed a ski helmet law for kids under 18 in 2011.  Of course, NJ has a lot fewer ski areas than New York state.  Wonder if teens complain in NJ?

Many ski resorts require children in ski school to wear helmets, so this sort of already exists.  NJ already requires anyone 17 and younger to wear a helmet, although it is never enforced.  Personally I wear a helmet, but I don't see why anyone should be forced to by law, no matter what the age.

I see this as a problem when it comes to bringing in new skiers.  When I first started skiing (2004), I didn't wear a helmet my first few times.  My parents wanted to make sure I liked skiing before spending the extra money on all the gear.  Helmets aren't cheap and cost at least 50 bucks a piece, equal to a lift ticket at a smaller ski area.  It's like 10 or 15 bucks to rent, and that adds up if you have multiple kids.  How any kid can get going fast enough to crash hard enough to need a helmet on their first day skiing is beyond me.

Skiing is a crazy expensive sport to get started in, especially for kids who outgrow expensive gear almost every season.  If it costs 200 dollars in gear just to get out on the hill the first time, adding a 50 dollar helmet would be a significant additional expense.  While some might argue that you can't put a price on safety, I'm sure the benefits to a first timer are less than for someone a bit more accomplished.  Many ski cloths can be used for other things if a kid doesn't take to skiing.  Helmets can't really be used for anything else but skiing.  Better to try skiing and see if you like it before dropping hundreds of dollars on equipment.

Do ski areas have helmets as part of their rental packages? I have no idea.

Yes and no.  They typically have them for rent, but it almost always costs extra.  Ski package always includes skis, boots, and poles, and snowboard package always includes snowboard and boots.  A helmet is typically an add on.

1 Yes. New York is probably the worst nanny state in the nation.
2 My kids, and almost all the kids on the mountain, already wear helmets. Even if I was willing to let them go without their helmets (honestly they're both more careful skiers then I am), my wife wouldn't. And they wouldn't want to because their Platty stickers would look stupid on a wool cap.
3 Every mountain I know of around here rents helmets and I'm pretty sure they insist the kids under a certain age rent one along with the skis or board if they don't have their own.
4 They will pass this law anyway and will be too busy patting themselves on the back to even make an exception for cross country skiing. Soon after that a judge will re-interpret the law to include sledding and ice skating too.

raisingarizona wrote

Do ski areas have helmets as part of their rental packages? I have no idea.

For adults, renting a helmet is usually extra.  For kids in ski school, helmets are both required and included in the package price for rental equipment, lesson time, and lift ticket.  But I think that's relatively recent.  When my daughter started skiing in 2004 she was four.  No helmet requirement even for ski school.  Even if you wanted to rent a helmet, finding one small enough was pretty difficult.  A few years later, the rental fleet for kids was refreshed and helmets were bought.  Fast forward to 2013 when my friend started her kids on skis (age 4 and 6).  Helmets were standard.  She bought a helmet for herself and her kids long before she invested in boots or skis.  Her daughter sometimes prefers the ski school helmet because it's a prettier color to her.

Funny I thought this was a law already.  Maybe I'm thinking about bicycling.

Ski helmet adoption is one thing I've seen very little resistance too. When I tried on my first helmet I was sold. It was comfortable, had adjustable vents, and it was so light I didn't know it was there.  I had a harder time adjusting to the seat belt law.

The 14 year old thing is smart. Eventually everyone is used to it as people grow up, and you reduce the nanny state thing somewhat.

I think it's a dumb common sense law. I'm not a parent but if I were my kid would wear a helmet, duh!!

That said I've only been skiing in a helmet for 4ish years. Until I actually tried one I thought they looked uncomfortable, but I was wrong. I find them to be WAY more comfortable in terms of ventilation as compared to my hats. Seems as tho I'd always take my hat off on the lift due to overheating, with my helmet that's a non issue. That and the tunes. My helmet kicks ass with tunes......nothing better than rippin to some Alice in Chains  

I don't feel any safer wearing one tho --- shit will happen no matter what

Harvey wrote

Funny I thought this was a law already.  Maybe I'm thinking about bicycling.

Looks like NY State passed bicycle helmet laws in 1994 and 2004.  So definitely been a while.  It took a couple decades for all states to pass adult and child safety belt laws starting in the 1970s.  I worked at the UNC Highway Safety Research Center for a decade as a grad student and remember seeing the US map change.

http://www.helmets.org/mandator.htm

http://www.helmets.org/mandator.htm

At the end of season at Tremblant I let my son ski without his helmet because it was a warm day and I wouldn't wear mine either.  His FIS reg helmet has almost no ventilation.

In the early years Age 1 and 2 I did not use a helmet on my son.  at that age you cant find one that will actually fit properly and if its too big there is little protection value.  Plus their heads at that age are so big relative to their body it makes it hard for them to balance with a helmet on.  Once he was off the racer chaser he has always worn a helmet until that day in April at tremblant.

Ewwwwww......the thought of wearing a rental helmet is gross.


Betcha you can trace this one back to some ski industry retail arm and their lobbying money. NY state government doesn't move in any direction that doesn't have a pile of money at the end of the line.

campgottagopee wrote

That said I've only been skiing in a helmet for 4ish years

Isn't this like closing the barn door after the horse is long gone?

billyymc wrote

campgottagopee wrote

That said I've only been skiing in a helmet for 4ish years

Isn't this like closing the barn door after the horse is long gone?

bwahahahhahah

One of my little guys took a serious header wearing a helmet (head first into the woods).  I am glad he had a helmet on.