Skiing and Snowboarding in Switzerland: Trends in Injury and Fatality Rates Over Time

Abstract

Introduction: Skiing and snowboarding are two of the most popular sports in Switzerland, but their popularity means that the absolute number of injuries remains high. To plan and evaluate effective injury prevention, detailed insights into the injuries that occur are needed. Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the current status (average winter season 2008–2012) and trends in injury rate (between 2005 and 2012) and fatality rate (between 2000 and 2014) among skiers and snowboarders in Switzerland. Materials/Methods: Injury data from different sources were collected and analyzed. Extrapolation and estimates were made based on a special household survey and insurance data. All fatal injuries were recorded in a separate database. Moreover, an annual survey on Swiss slopes was conducted that delivered different information about skiers and snowboarders in these areas. Skier days were collected by the Swiss Cableways. Results: The rate of sustaining an injury while skiing or snowboarding on Swiss slopes was 2.8 per 1000 skier days on average from 2008 to 2010. The fatality rate was 0.7 deaths per one million skier days in the same period of time. The injury rate remained relatively stable between 2005 and 2012, and the fatality rate has not changed since 2000. Discussion: Compared with other countries, the rates of injury or even fatality while skiing or snowboarding falls in the mid-range for Switzerland; however, further prevention efforts targeting behavior and conditions are needed to minimize and even reduce injuries.