Thaw and alcohol: melting ski slopes become a deadly hazard

“Three skiing accidents in ten minutes in the same place.” This headline has once again sparked a debate about how safe our ski slopes actually are. About whether winter sports enthusiasts overestimate themselves, whether there is perhaps too much partying and drinking in the huts before the last turns, or whether climate change is causing the slopes to melt away and become a deadly hazard.

The fact is: full slopes are guaranteed in Austrian ski areas during the semester holidays. But be careful, the ski slopes are often extremely difficult and due to the high temperatures and rain, the important autumn areas are increasingly missing. Experts therefore advise skiers and snowboarders to drive slower.

It was only at the end of January that a 46-year-old skier from Poland had a fatal accident in the Carinthian ski area of ​​Bad Kleinkirchheim. The winter sports enthusiast went off the slopes and hit his head against a tree. Even the crash helmet couldn’t stop it. “If there is little or no snow outside the slopes, you are simply hurting yourself more than if there is a lot of snow,” says Alpine police officer Horst Wohlgemuth.

The slopes are currently suffering from temperatures and rain: during the day it is much too warm for early February, the snow is becoming soft; At night it freezes again and the slope becomes icy. In addition, more and more stones and roots are sticking out of the snow cover next to the slopes.

Safety nets offer no guarantee
Although those responsible in the ski areas set up safety nets to catch athletes if they fall, so that they do not fall into the terrain, these do not offer a 100 percent guarantee, as the current case in Tyrol shows. Three skiers or snowboarders (32, 34 and 49) fell in Söll-Hochsöll on Saturday between 7:00 PM and 7:10 PM – independently of each other!

“They slid over the slope, under a fence and fell over a meter high embankment onto the asphalt parking lot below,” said a police officer. Fortunately, all three survived.

Rescuers and hospitals are also reporting an increasing number of ski accidents in all other Alpine regions. Expert Wohlgemuth therefore advises all skiers and snowboarders to be extremely careful: “You can stay on the safe side if you adjust your speed so that if you fall, you do not fly off the slopes.” So use your mind.

This way you are always safe on the slopes
Finally a ski holiday! But: If many winter sports enthusiasts are on the slopes at the same time, the risk of accidents increases. AND – there are a few things that winter sports enthusiasts should keep in mind.

Here are the ten FIS track rules from the ÖAMTC:

• thoughtfulness to the other skiers and snowboarders: everyone must behave in such a way that they do not endanger anyone else.
• Management speed: Everyone must drive by sight. He must adapt his speed and driving style to his skills and the terrain, snow and weather conditions.
• Lane choice: The skier and snowboarder coming from behind must choose their path so as not to endanger the people in front of them.
• To overtake: Overtaking is allowed from above or below, from the right or from the left, but always at a distance.
• Entering, starting and driving uphill: Anyone who wants to start a descent, start again after a stop, swing or ride uphill must check up and down whether he can do so without danger.
• Stop: Everyone should avoid unnecessarily finding themselves in narrow or confusing places during a descent.
• Promotion and relegation: Anyone ascending or descending on foot must use the descent edge.
• Sign: Everyone must respect the marking.
• Assistance: In the event of an accident, everyone is obliged to provide assistance.
• Identity obligation: In the event of an accident, everyone must provide personal information.