Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
13 February 2014 09:08
More skiers are wearing helmets, a poll has revealed
As many as 71% of Telegraph Travel readers who ski now wear a helmet on the slopes following Michael Schumacher's accident.
This is according to a poll undertaken in the wake of the retired German Formula One driver's off piste accident in Méribel on December 29, from which he is still in a coma.
British retailers have also reported a huge hike in ski helmet sales.
Adventurous holidaymakers who love the challenge of the slopes can find appropriate sports travel insurance to indulge in their hobby rest assured.
Telegraph Travel polled more than 1,000 skiers and snowboarders.
Its findings suggest a massive switch in the attitudes of British winter sports enthusiasts.
The 71% contrasts with the 39% found to wear a helmet in a comparable survey undertaken by the same publication five years earlier following the death of Natasha Richardson.
The 45-year-old actress suffered a head injury at Canada's Mont Tremblant resort.
The latest questionnaire supports ones conducted by America's National Ski Areas Association and in Switzerland into the safety habits of skiers and boarders in 2013.
These showed that 70% and 76% respectively wore protective headgear. The new survey comes with the approach of February half-term, a favourite week in the family skiing calendar.
ABTA, an association of tour operators and travel agents, said that British skiers are more likely than ever to don helmets.
A debate on whether protective headgear should be mandatory has continued for years.
Some helmet opponents claim they encourage wearers to take extra risks, while others say it should be left up to the individual.
Victoria Bacon, head of communications for ABTA, said the association encourages every skier and boarder to don a helmet.
Ms Bacon said: "We want people to be able to make the most of their time on the slopes and knowing you have the right kind of equipment is one less thing to worry about."
18 January 2019
A plant-based diet is needed to protect future generations and safeguard the wellbeing of the planet, according to experts.
[more...]
17 January 2019
Campaigners are protesting outside the High Court in London as the legal challenge against Heathrow Airport's controversial expansion ramps up.
16 January 2019
A new way to predict a woman's risk of breast cancer has been unveiled by scientists - and it's the most comprehensive method yet.
15 January 2019
NHS commissioners could be slapped with a £2,500 fine for every patient left waiting more than a year for vital care, new proposals suggest.
12 January 2019
All UK airports should buy anti-drone technology and not rely on the Royal Air Force to help out, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.
10 January 2019
The military was brought in on Tuesday night after police officers saw a drone operating at Heathrow Airport, forcing departures to be suspended for an hour.
11 January 2019
A so-called "drug sponge" that mops up leftover drugs from cancer treatment could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy, new research has claimed.
09 January 2019
A hormone released during exercise could help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
08 January 2019
Ryanair has been labelled the worst airline operating in the UK for the sixth year running in a leading consumer group survey.
05 January 2019
Anti-drone technology will be deployed at the UK's two busiest airports in response to the disruption caused before Christmas.
04 January 2019
A new cancer-detecting breathalyser test is being trialled in the UK - in a move that could revolutionise the way the disease is diagnosed.
03 January 2019
The average 10-year-old child will have already eaten more sugar in their life than the maximum amount recommended for 18-year-olds, a new study reveals.