Leon Richard of Farmington, ME Well. They'd all be alive if they didn't ski or snowboard. What level of "common sense" does one wish to apply here? The expert in traumatic brain injury said in the article that there is less than a 1 in a million chance of serious injury or death from skiing or snowboarding. When injuries do occur, 5 to 10 percent are head injuries.

A helmet should be left to the individual's own conscience and discretion. I personally would wear one. I have no authority to tell someone else what they should do. When your body, any part of it, collides with a ski tower, sign post, or tree, at high speed there is a strong likelihood that you are going to die. I would submit for the purposes of the debate, we'd be much better off concentrating on slowing down and gaining full competency. And whenever one is "pushing the edge", they should be considering tilting the advantage of safety back toward themselves by wearing appropriate safety gear.

Ski the trail a few times prior to making a faster run. Check the snow conditions, and the turns... shade, light, clouds or fog? Ice, powder, packed? Crowds? New sign posts?

And no, no more laws. Enough laws already. Should be the most civil, peaceful, and utopian society on earth if laws cause those things. We have more than we've ever had, and it seems to problems become more widespread with each law that is passed. The legislators themselves, and law enforcement, can't keep up so how are common people supposed to?report abuse

Bill Miller of Fairfield, ME AMEN Mr. Williams.

All of these supposed statistics do not change the fact that some of these people MIGHT be alive today had they been wearing head protection. There doesn't have to be a LAW Common Sense seems to dictate that if you are going to go flying down a mountainside, on a snowboard or a pair of skis, that it MIGHT be prudent to wear a helmet. You may not look like the macho or flashy show off, but you may save your own life.report abuse

Eliza Williams of Waterville, ME My heart goes out to his parents and family...this is every parent's worst nightmare, always. God be with them during this most painful and difficult time.report abuse