Sledding safety in the sleds

By Marina Sanford

There have been some reports of tobogganing accidents this winter in Belleville.

Although not yet officially confirmed, someone was reportedly taken to hospital last Sunday afternoon from North Park Street hill with undetermined injuries.

North Park Street hill and Zwick’s Park hill have been very popular sledding destinations for kids this winter, despite the strange weather conditions. And this year, like many others, wipeouts have been common. Sometimes, those tumbles can result in something serious.

Last winter, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, there were 171 hospitalizations from tobogganing accidents in Canada.

Some are from adults going sledding, and sometimes it’s parents going down the hill with their children. However, a large number of these accidents happen to children aged 10 to 19.

Larry Glover, the parks manager for the City of Belleville said he and his staff do their best to keep the coasting hills in Belleville safe, but can’t do everything.

“We fill in holes during the summer, and let Mother Nature provide during the winter. Beyond that, we pick up debris but can’t have someone out there to supervise.”

The North Park Street hill, as well as the hill in Zwick’s Park, are both maintained by the city, but are used by the public at their own risk. Glover said it’s important for parents to supervise their children when they go sledding.

Supervision is also one of the important pieces of advice Safe Kids Canada offers on its website about winter sledding safety. The organization also recommends choosing a hill away from roads, rivers or railroads with plenty of room to stop at the bottom of the hill, using a toboggan that is in good working condition, tobogganing while kneeling to avoid head and spine injuries, not tobogganing at night unless the hill is well lit, and most importantly, wearing a helmet.

While it isn’t a legal requirement to wear a helmet while going downhill, according to Safe Kids, a properly fitted ski or hockey helmet can greatly reduce the risk of injury, as they are designed to work in cold temperatures while bicycle helmets are not.

For more information about sledding safety, as well as other safety tips for winter activities, visit www.safekidscanada.ca.