THE QUESTION: Since skiing enthusiasts are increasing by the hundreds of thousands, what can be done to cut down the growing number of accidents?
BOB BEATTIE
Ski coach
University of Colorado
Boulder, Colo.
Chiefly proper instruction. We estimate that more than half of our 10,000 enrolled students ski. Most of those injured are skiing for the first or second time. A newcomer to skiing is too confident. This breeds recklessness. Our ski team has had only one injury in the past four years.
DOT NEBEL
Director of the Belleayre
Mt. ski school
Pine Hill, N.Y.
The main thing I've always harped on is that skiers should think. When they start down a steep hill few of them realize the power of gravity. They can't turn the gas off and jam on the brakes as they can in a car. They must think before they start and know what to do to brake themselves.
PETER ESTIN
Director of ski school
Sugarbush Valley, Vt.
The popularity of the sport has created two problems: first, it has crowded our ski slopes, and, second, it has brought out many who are not in the best physical shape. The remedy is disciplinary action against schussboomers who are skiing out of control and better conditioning before and during the ski season.
WILLIAM R. JUDO
Director of National Ski Patrol
Denver
Three things—conditioning, control and courtesy. When skiers are conditioned properly they suffer relatively few injuries. Control can only come from good ski instruction. The longer a skier stays in ski school the greater the drop in his accident potential. Courtesy is self-evident because of congestion in ski areas.
CHARLES ALLISON MERRILL
Ski coach
Dartmouth College
Hanover, N.H.
There are many things that can be done to lessen the number of ski accidents, but there are three that are most important. The first is a preseason conditioning program. A second is common sense—ski only under proper light and snow conditions. The third is to get off the hill when tired.
FRED LONSDORF
Ski coach
Michigan Tech
Houghton, Mich.
Three factors in decreasing accidents are: proper instruction, preseason physical conditioning for new skiers, and a good all-way release binding. Through proper instruction one learns controls and the dangers involved, such as: falling, skiing in ruts, overskiing one's ability and heavy, wet and icy snow conditions.
SEVEN PHOTOS