Taking the family to play in the snow? These tips will make sledding safer

Safe SleddingAn abundance of snow no doubt has many Arizonans planning trips to the high country. If your family fun will include sledding, please take along some advice to play safely. 

The Arizona State Trauma Registry maintained by ADHS Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System recorded 40 sledding injuries between 2019 and 2021. And these are just the injuries that required care at a trauma center.

To make your sledding adventure as safe and fun as possible: 

  • Wear a helmet and sled feet first or sitting up to reduce the chances of head injuries, including traumatic brain injury.
  • Avoid sledding in areas with trees, pedestrians, parked cars, moving traffic, water, drop-offs, and other hazards. 
  • We join our colleagues at ADOT in saying that parking along highways to play in snow is extremely dangerous!
  • Never ride a sled being pulled by a car, ATV, snowmobile, or other motorized vehicle.

Meanwhile, make sure you’re prepared to spend extended time in cold weather by dressing in layers and wearing gloves, bringing extra clothes, and taking extra drinking water, food, and prescription medications in case you are delayed. ADOT has many other helpful tips at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

Being able to travel from mild temperatures to snow in just a few hours is one of the joys of Arizona winters. We want you to have a great — and safe — time if you do. 

 

Related Articles

5 Essential Frameworks for Preventing Violent Child Death

The U.S. has a violent child death problem. Developing strategies to prevent violent child deaths death from firearms and traffic crashes is a demanding task that requires consideration of numerous upstream, interrelated, and tangential issues. To help safety advocates develop strategies to prevent violent child death, we compiled five frameworks to help: Understand and explain …
The post 5 Essential Frameworks for Preventing Violent Child Death appeared first on Salud America.

What Are the Risk and Protective Factors for Violent Child Death?

Gun violence and traffic crashes may seem like unpredictable events. But they are not random. They are systematic. Data reveal trends and patterns in gun violence and traffic crashes that can help us identify risk factors and protective factors. This is especially important for addressing violent child deaths. So what does the data show? Join …
The post What Are the Risk and Protective Factors for Violent Child Death? appeared first on Salud America.

Did Americans Suddenly Become Worse Drivers or Are Megacars Spiking Traffic Fatalities?

Driving is a daily danger to American life. And it is getting more dangerous. More Americans died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2021 than any other year since 2005, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Additionally, pedestrian fatalities are up 13% and bicyclist fatalities are up 5% compared to 2020. These are …
The post Did Americans Suddenly Become Worse Drivers or Are Megacars Spiking Traffic Fatalities? appeared first on Salud America.

Regulating Autonomous Vehicles Must Address Safety for Everyone, Total Emissions

Pedestrian fatalities have increased 50% since 2009. Autonomous vehicles—those driven by automated driving systems rather than a human—are often suggested as a solution by politicians, planners, even some safety advocates. But with our nation’s struggle to regulate the automobile industry and failure to protect people walking, many worry about the decades-long shift to autonomous vehicles …
The post Regulating Autonomous Vehicles Must Address Safety for Everyone, Total Emissions appeared first on Salud America.

Report: The Deadliest Cities for People Walking Are Now Even More Dangerous

Although driving declined in 2020, U.S. pedestrian deaths increased, especially among Latinos and other people of color, according to the latest Dangerous by Design report from Smart Growth America and the National Complete Streets Coalition. Pedestrian deaths have risen each year since 2009 – up 62% overall since then. Why? Roads in America are designed …
The post Report: The Deadliest Cities for People Walking Are Now Even More Dangerous appeared first on Salud America.