New Calls For Helmets After Slew Of Tobogganing Accidents In The GTA

 It’s the most common of all winter pastimes in the GTA.

And it’s left several children hurt and at least one adult fighting for her life.

Paramedics are still shaking their heads after 18 people were injured in tobogganing related incidents around the city this weekend.

The worst appears to have afflicted a 23-year-old woman who suffered serious head injuries when she slid down a hill near the St. Clair West Reservoir at St. Clair and Spadina Rd on Sunday.

She apparently hit her head at the bottom of the slope and remains in critical condition in hospital.

She was just one of many who suffered a wide variety of complaints as residents celebrated the late arrival of winter snows at the end of January.

In one of the other disturbing incidents, an unconscious three year-old boy was rushed for treatment for head injuries after his sled hit a wall at Eglinton Park on Saturday afternoon.

The accidents have re-ignited calls for helmets from two Vaughan city councillors, who urged the safety lids for anyone taking to the slopes during the winter months.

But not all of their Toronto counterparts agree.

“I think parents will use and do use their common sense about helmeting their children on skating or for tobogganing hills,” maintains Parks Committee Chair Paula Fletcher, who doesn’t think legislation mandating the coverings is necessary.

Emergency officials are especially upset with the carnage, because all the injuries were preventable.

“It’s just really unfortunate that people aren’t using common sense when they’re tobogganing,” comments Larry Roberts with Toronto EMS. “They’re going head-first into concrete walls and picnic tables and hitting other pedestrians at the bottom of the hill. Make sure it’s safe.

“Don’t put young children on the toboggan by themselves. Try and have the kids wear helmets. They wear helmets for their bikes. Perhaps wearing helmets might have helped these kids as well.”

Contrary to popular belief that the winter recreation is always a safe one, EMS officials maintain they see this every season.

“We had some people with very serious head injuries, back injuries, leg injuries as well,” Roberts concludes.

The problems were made worse this weekend by the icy conditions, which caused the sleds to go faster. In some cases, officials say they can reach speeds of 35 kilometres an hour. And that’s fast enough to cause serious injuries.

In the case of the youngster, there were clear signs posted warning of the dangers of the wall at the bottom of the hill, but they were either unseen or ignored.

Many experts are sure helmets would have helped mitigate the injuries suffered in almost all these incidents, if people would just realize they’re necessary.

“Our statistics show that every year in Ontario at least one person dies from tobogganing. And they are preventable,” points out neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Tator. “Helmets really do work. Like they work in hockey, they work in skiing, they work in snowboarding. They really work.”

It’s up to parents to scope out the lay of the land before their kids get on the sleds and start to slide.

“What we say to parents is let’s look at the environment. It’s critical,” reminds Dr. Allyson Hewitt of Safe Kids Canada. “Is there a tree in the path? Well, you know, the number one reason that we’re seeing kids … hospitalized is they’re running into trees. They’re running into structures. The hill actually goes down into a parking lot or a pond. Check out the environment. For me, that’s the critical issue.”

But many moms and dads say they don’t want any laws tethering them further with threats of fines.

“I think using common sense as a parent is the way to go,” suggests Elizabeth Alexander, a mother of two. “I don’t think we need Council telling us what we should or shouldn’t be doing with our kids.”

The city hasn’t been idle during all the controversy that followed the weekend mishaps. They’ve now put bales of hay around some of the trees at the most perilous of the parks across town to prevent any further serious impacts.

Tobogganing Accidents

Kids and adults have both been tobogganing for years. But with so many accidents this past weekend, the issue of helmets for those heading down those hills has been brought back to the forefront.

So just how serious is the problem?

The last study done for the Canadian Hospitals Injury and Reporting Program measured sledding miscues between November 1994 and April 1995.

It discovered a surprising total of 806 accidents across the country that year, with the vast majority happening to those between the ages of 10 and 14 years old. More than half of all the injuries reported were boys.

Most of the mishaps (nearly 60 percent) occurred in parks, while just a few took place in backyards, schools, or public places like roads or footpaths. 

What were the most common injuries and how did they happen?

According to Health Canada, the breakdown reads this way:

40.1%: Fell to the ground while sliding
32.6%: Collided with an obstacle (tree, rock, wall, snow bank etc.)
15.3%: Hit another person
7.3%: Getting body part stuck in sled
2.4%: Sliding into street/river
1%: Injured while pulling or carrying toboggan

Most common injuries:

A hurt leg was first, a wound that is generally easily treatable.

Head and neck injuries were more common among younger kids than their older counterparts.

51.6% of those hurt needed just minor treatment
36.7% required “significant treatment”
11.1% were actually admitted to hospital because of their injuries.

Health Canada Suggested Protocols For Tobogganing

• Have children wear helmets while sledding
• Choose a hill away from roads or parking lots
• Ensure there are no rocks, fences, trees or other obstructions at the bottom of the route
• Slide down the middle of the hill, climb up the side and keep an eye out for whoever’s coming down. Remember they often can’t control the slide or the direction they’re heading
• Move out of the way quickly when you reach the bottom, especially if the hill is crowded with others using toboggans or snow boards.

Source: Health Canada/CHIRPP

Safe Kids Canada Tobogganing Tips

Ensure that the hill is free of hazards – trees, rocks, bumps, fences and bare spots. Don’t sled on ice-covered areas.

Ensure that the hill is situated away from roads, rivers or railroads and that there is plenty of room to stop at the bottom of the hill.

Look for a hill which is not too steep (less than 30 degrees is recommended for children) and has a long, clear runoff area.

Inspect the toboggan to ensure it is in good condition.

Use only proper sliding equipment with good brakes and steering. Inner tubes and plastic discs are not recommended because they are difficult to control.

Many tobogganing injuries are cold-related, such as frostbite and hypothermia. Heat loss is particularly significant in children under age 3 because their heads account for a larger proportion of their overall body size. Children should be dressed warmly in layers.

After tobogganing children should get out of wet clothes and boots quickly to prevent frostbite.

Young children should always be supervised by an adult. They should never toboggan alone.

The safest position to be in while tobogganing is kneeling. Sliding on your stomach, headfirst, offers the least protection from a head injury. Laying flat on the back increases the risk of injuring the spine or spinal cord.

Look out for the other guy – move quickly to the side and walk up and away from the sliding path after finishing a run.

Children should not toboggan at night.

Head injuries while sledding can be serious. Children should wear a helmet with a thin, warm cap underneath to protect ears from frostbite. A ski or hockey helmet is recommended, because they’re designed for use in cold weather and for similar falls and speeds.

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