Ski Law FAQ’s
How can I Avoid a ski accident?
The first rule of safe skiing is to ski in control, it is not only your legal duty it is also the safest approach so you can react to unexpected conditions. Always heed the skiers and snowboarders around you and ski defensively. When trails merge, look up the trail above you for descending skiers. And be mindful where you stop, do not choose to rest in a blind spot just below a roll of the slope or halt suddenly in the middle of a busy run.
Be responsible, if you need corrective lenses then wear them. Do not block out the sounds around you with earbuds. Do not ski if intoxicated, and be mindful that altitude sickness is real and may become a serious condition.
What should I do after a ski accident?
In most ski states, if you are involved in an accident on the slopes you must provide your contact information with the other skier. Leaving the scene of an accident without doing so may result in criminal charges. If any party is seriously injured, ski patrol should be called immediately and all involved skiers are required to provide the reporting patrollers a statement. Do not move any person who has lost consciousness or may have neck or back injuries. If you believe you have been injured, seek medical care immediately. If possible, take photos or video of the skiers involved and the location of the accident on the slope.
Following a ski accident, keep your equipment and clothes for inspection by a forensic engineer. Also keep your ski pass or lift ticket. And if the accident was not your fault, contact a ski lawyer promptly. Ski area employees, including ski patrollers, tend to be seasonal workers and transient. Ski areas also vary trails and signage from year to year, and of course snow conditions vary dramatically. For the best evidence to be collected, the accident site should be inspected by a professional expert or your lawyer as soon after the accident as possible.
What Safety Equipment Should I Carry?
Always carry a compass and a whistle. Do not assume your cell phone will have coverage, if you are in the back country have reliable communication equipment. And you may consider carrying a personal locator beacons, avalanches can occur even in-bounds at most ski resorts.