Nova Scotia passes law to make helmets mandatory for skiers and snowboarders
In order to ensure that the skiers and snowboarders do not end up sustaining traumatic head injuries on the slopes, the Government of Nova Scotia made it mandatory for the skiers and snowboarders to wear helmets through a law passed in the provincial legislature
a few days.
The law would come in effect from November 1, 2012, after which anyone caught violating the law would be punished with a heavy fine, which may be as high as $250. Inspectors would be patrolling the slopes to ensure that nobody is indulging in any winter
sports action without wearing a helmet.
The government of Nova Scotia tabled the bill at the House of Assembly in Halifax on Tuesday and supported it with the claim that the use of helmets would cut down the incidents of head injuries by at least 60 percent.
Talking to media about the new law, the communications officer for Nova Department of Health and Wellness, Tony Kiritsis, said, “For our healthcare system to look after each individual, it costs about $400,000 a year, per injury. Our research has shown that
while almost 90 per cent of Nova Scotians wear helmets, there are those who are aware of the risks and choose not to wear one.”
While stats reveal that that had been 11 traumatic brain injuries on the slopes of Nova Scotia since 2011, which makes it hardly one person sustaining a head injury on ski hills per year, the Department of Health and Wellness is keen on keeping even that
single person safe.
Maureen MacDonald, member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, explained that new law was not only going to play an important role in bringing down the frequency of head injuries and the terrible consequences accompanying it, but would also help in reducing
the cost incurred by the state in treating these victims. According to Kiritsis, the state spends around $400,000 on the treatment of patients with a traumatic brain injury.
There had not been any significant opposition to the bill tabled by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness in the House of Assembly, but it is still too early to say whether the skiers and snowboarders fully support the measure taken by the government
for the sake of their safety on the slopes.
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