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Updated: May 14, 2026
12:21
Determination of the Friction Coefficients of Icy Pavements Under Different Amounts of Snowfall
Published on: January 6, 2023
[Causes and factors associated with collisions on ski slopes]
1Institut für Sportwissenschaft Innsbruck, Österreich. gerhard.ruedl@uibk.ac.at
Summary
Winter sports collisions are more severe, causing more head injuries. Adjusting speed and behavior based on conditions and slope traffic can prevent ski and snowboard accidents.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Traumatology
- Public Health
Context:
- Over 10 million participate in Austrian winter sports annually.
- 80-90% of accidents are from falls, 10% from collisions.
- Study focused on Vorarlberg during the 2011/2012 season.
Purpose:
- Investigate intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors for injuries in skiers and snowboarders.
- Compare injuries from self-inflicted falls versus collisions.
- Identify conditions contributing to collision incidents.
Summary:
- 1741 fall injuries and 137 collision injuries were analyzed.
- Collision injuries resulted in higher rates of head injury and concussion.
- Collision victims were older, more likely skiers, and higher skilled.
- Collisions occurred more at intersections, with higher traffic, and sunny conditions.
Impact:
- Highlights the increased severity of collision-related injuries.
- Recommends adaptive behavior and speed adjustments for skiers and snowboarders.
- Suggests evaluating visual information and supervision systems at intersections.
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