British skiers given safety advice

12 December 2012 09:25

Skiers and snowboarders are advised to take simple safety precautions and take out the best ski travel insurance for their needs

Skiers and snowboarders are advised to take simple safety precautions and take out the best ski travel insurance for their needs

Britons heading out for skiing holidays in Europe this winter are being advised to take a few simple precautions to protect their safety. Staff at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Marseille are launching a safety campaign for British skiers and snowboarders after data from France showed there has been a high rate of accidents on the slopes in 2012.

FCO consul Simon Taylor said a lot of Britons had suffered serious injuries. "Don't make the mistake of assuming you'll be fine if you're with more experienced skiers or snowboarders," he advised. "It is significant that a large number of cases we have dealt with have involved off-piste skiing."

FCO research suggests the vast majority of Britons going on winter sports holidays class themselves as a beginner or intermediate, with just 1% believing they are at an expert level. Around two out of three (65%) winter sports holidaymakers said they would ski or snowboard on slopes beyond their experience level in order to stay with a group, while more than half (53%) admitted they would follow a group of friends off-piste. The findings underline the importance of taking out appropriate ski travel insurance for winter sports holidaymakers as well as taking sensible precautions while on the slopes.

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