National Ski Statistics
- The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) provides annual death and serious injury reporting, but the statistical information is very limited and unreliable due to these reasons:
- Data is only collected from NSAA member ski resorts and the data gathered is inconsistent and formatted in such a way as to preclude meaningful analysis.
- Deaths occurring outside member ski resort boundaries (e.g., patrons who accidentally or deliberately leave the ski resort boundaries or who die in hospitals after being evacuated from the resort) are not included in the reports
- The NSAA rigorously guards its accident and injury data. While limited information is available on the NSAA Web site, public access to more detailed studies (demographics, economic analysis, end-of-season survey) are available only through payment of fees ranging from $100 to $400.
- California ski resorts have significant latitude as to when, how and whether safety and accident prevention procedures and methods are employed.
- The NSAA does not release raw data for independent analysis or disclose the details of the collection process or the criteria used for categorization.
The Ski Industry: A Study of Contrasts and Contradictions
| The NSAA touts on its Web site that in the 2007/2008 ski season, the overall usage of helmets among skiers and snowboarders was up from 40 percent last season and 25 percent in 2002/2003. |
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However, no states have any ski helmet usage laws and the NSAA does not advocate mandatory helmet usage or helmet rental availability for resort guests. |
| In marking the 10th annual National Ski Awareness Week, NSAA President Michael Berry stated, “Safety remains a top priority throughout the season for ski resorts.” |
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Ski resorts are not mandated to produce standardized safety plans and are not required to make their plans readily available for public view. To gain access to a ski safety plan from a resort on federal land, an individual must request it through the Freedom of Information Act, which is difficult to navigate. The response time for a request can literally be months and the individual must pay a fee, which could be quite hefty, depending on the information requested. |
| National Safety Awareness Week is regarded by sponsor NSAA as “an opportunity for both guests and employees to gain a better understanding of the importance of personal responsibility on the slopes.” |
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The ski industry uses this week to showcase the priority it places on maintaining an injury-free, snow-sport environment; however, the irony is that the onus for ski safety rests entirely on resort guests. The California ski industry acknowledges no legal responsibility or accountability for patron safety and has established no consistent industry-wide standards and best practices for signage, hazard and traffic management. |
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