Tobogganing: How to avoid dangerous accidents while having winter fun!

Tobogganing: How to avoid dangerous accidents while having winter fun!

Tobogganing: Harmless fun with serious consequences! Every year the number of accidents with injuries exceeds the terrible mark of thousands in Austria. A series of tragic tobogganing accidents have rocked the country, with several serious injuries reported in recent days. There were already several accidents in Tyrol on New Year's Day, and on Friday evening there was a crash on a toboggan run in Ehrwald when several German vacationers collided. A 17-year-old teenager suffered a fractured femur and a 22-year-old suffered injuries to her collarbone. Another incident in the Kufstein district is also causing a stir: A 52-year-old from Upper Bavaria had a serious accident when he left the train and crashed into a tree - he suffered several broken bones, as the police reported.

The dangers are often underestimated

Experts warn urgently about the dangers of tobogganing, which many consider to be a risk-free winter sport. A frightening statistic shows that between 2014 and 2018, around 8,200 people had to be treated in hospital due to tobogganing accidents, with 2,200 injuries being recorded in 2018 alone. Around 25 percent of the injured had to be hospitalized. Dr. Ilona Schöppl, head of the household, leisure and sports safety department at the KFV, emphasizes: “Tobogganing needs to be learned correctly, because overconfidence, misjudgment and inadequate technology or equipment can lead to serious accidents, even in winter fun that is considered harmless.” Particularly tragic: 35 percent of injured tobogganers are children under 15 years of age.

In order to minimize the risk, safety experts like the KFV are calling for a rigorous approach to safety: compulsory helmet use should become the standard, because over 78 percent of the people involved in an accident were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. It is also strongly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the correct steering and braking techniques. Careful driving style, complete equipment and consideration for other tobogganers are crucial for a carefree tobogganing holiday. “To minimize dangers, you need to drive carefully and be fully equipped,” explains Dr. Schöppl.

The urgently needed awareness of safety when tobogganing is now a high priority in order to prevent further tragic accidents and to be able to enjoy carefree fun in the snow. This educational work is not only important to reduce the number of accidents, but also to raise awareness of the dangers of tobogganing meinkreis.at reported.