Ski Helmets

Actress Natasha Richardson, wife of Liam Neeson and daughter of Vanessa Redgrave, tragically died after a fall on the ski slopes of Mount Tremblant in Quebec. Although the fall was minor, she was not wearing a helmet, and the autopsy declared blunt trauma to the head as the cause of death. I wonder if this will be a tipping point for ski helmets. It often seems as though an incident involving a celebrity is needed to get mass publicity or interest in an issue. I can think of country music star Barbara Mandrell and seat belts in the 80s or Magic Johnson and HIV in the 90s as prior examples. I do not wear a helmet while skiing, but I think I will purchase one shortly. Here is a link to my friend Dr. John Hudson being interviewed on 9 News about ski helmets (video is on the right).