So fed up of stories like this every single year. Stupid bloody Skiing.

Because nothing on earth compares to the feeling of freedom and exhilaration as you ski down a slope. Because I love being in the mountains and outdoors for the vast majority of the week. Because I have never felt more alive than when I'm skiing.

But then I also scuba dive, wild swim, rock climb, hike mountains and used to horse ride and motorcycle, so clearly we just have very different views about what brings joy and what is important in life.

And I've been skiing since I was 7 (40s now), and I have never been injured beyond a bruise. In fact, to counter all the horror stories here, my school friends and my adult friends all did and do ski a lot and I know virtually no-one who has had any skiing injuries, none at all as a child and only one person who took it up as an adult.

So maybe consider that your samples (especially if you go by sensationalist headlines) are a bit skewed compared to the thousands of people who go skiing each year, have a great time and return home completely uninjured but much happier.

Maybe get upset about the number of people injured in traffic accidents - it's much higher.

I think that's an unnecessary interjection of classism.

Just because skiing isn't the obvious holiday choice for many doesn't mean it can't be done cheaply.

There are lots of overconfident people driving cars, going swimming, hiking in (formerly) Snowdonia and the Lake District, etc.

Ski lifts are also dangerous. My sibling nearly got their hand cut off.

Natasha Richardson died from a head injury by skiing

This ^^
Sitting on your bum all day is terrible for your health.

Nothing wrong with skiing but like any dangerous sport you have to learn to do it properly, so I semi-agree with the OP.

Probably because he was skiing off piste. Beginners are very closely supervised. Especially children in a ski school.

I'm Scottish. I live an hours drive from a ski resort. I've been skiing since I was a child.

Oh get over yourself. Loads of people ski from all social classes. Big old chip on your shoulder there.

It’s a risky activity, as well as being extremely costly. And perhaps some people are blasé about the risks.

But lots of activities are equally risky. Cycling shouldn’t be, but is because of traffic. Lots of people die or are maimed in RTAs. Every summer, there are deaths from swimming in the sea, tides and boating accidents. And so on…

The key is minimising risk.

Skiing is not especially dangerous for beginners, they're usually travelling fairly slowly.
But excessive speed, crowded slopes and people who are not as competent as they think they are make for potentially deadly conditions, especially when skiers collide.

Which one of thise do we allow children to do without checks that they are competent, or have competent supervision?
If you read news across the Internet, there's loads of sking accidents. A 23 year old has just fell off a mountain in the French Alps.

You wouldn't catch me going skiing for this reason and I wouldn't be happy for my child to either.

The thing is, the kind of people who go on skiing holidays are privileged, and far more likely to have a sense of entitlement and think this kind of thing couldn't possibly ever happen to them.

Skiing is a lot of fun and these accidents whilst awful are hardly frequent. I love skiing but not done it for years, initially due to cost when my kids were young and now my knees couldn’t cope with it

I've never really given this any thought before, but I do kind of agree with you @ExcessiveNumberOfNinjas It is really dangerous. Yet some people think it's some kind of badge of honour, and makes them middle class and a better person if they go skiing every year - with no real actual experience or training in it.

I've known a number of people get injured by it as well. Some with life changing injuries ... Unless you're growing up in Scandinavia (as one poster said,) or somewhere where the snow is on the ground/in the mountains, for half the year - and you are a seasoned skier from when you started walking, you really shouldn't be doing it. It is really dangerous if you have little experience. Even if you have experience it's rather dangerous!

Oh dear! I was hoping we can go skiing next year with dc but this mumsnet thread is putting me off. I've never realised there's a high risk of serious injury and I know many people who ski each year.

I grew up in a colder country where some children would ski to school. I was bad at skating and never tried skiing but to me it's not an extreme sport...

Is it possible that people who haven't grown in a place where it snows often are a bit too brave as they'd only do it once every few years/ only for a week?

In my 20s, I use to go on horse trekking holidays, 25 miles a day, some of it galloping across the Yorkshire Moors. I loved it; and was lucky as I came to no harm. Some sports do carry the risk of serious injury.

Isn’t it because if you only ski once a year, you are unlikely to be a very good skier? I grew up in a country where we went skiing after school and every weekend. I don’t know anyone who have been injured or crashed into a tree.

What do you do? Are you in good health and fitness?

Good idea. And people who drink alcohol, smoke, eat too much sugar and fat or drive a car, take a plane/train should do the same. Dont want to be a burden on the nhs.

God, that's awful. What a horrible way to die. Poor family.

I have to admit I'm very surprised that people take their young children skiing being well aware of the risks. It has always looked extremely dangerous to me. When I was in secondary school my whole year group went on a ski trip, apart from me, my parents wouldn't let me go. I was aghast at being the only one left out. Until of my friends came back from the trip with a broken leg. I don't think I'll ever allow my kids to go.

I don't understand why there is a ski slope in close proximity to trees either but perhaps I am being stupid.

Obesity is far more of a drain on the NHS than sports injuries in the UK. It’s inactivity rather than rare sporting injuries that’s more of an issue.

Over half of all accidental deaths happen at home. It just doesn't make the news when Bob slips getting out of the tub. Skiing at least keeps you in great shape and being up on the mountains in the fresh air is glorious.

As with everything, it depends how you do it. I’ve gone many many times and have never had anything worse than a bruised butt. I know my limits, take my time, stop when I’m getting tired. I’m vigilant around me and will take precautions if I see someone further up the slope who looks like they’re not in control. My kids have been taught the same and have never had an injury. We all always wear helmets. I never used to, but now it feels very strange not to - a bit like not having a seatbelt on in the car.

My husband did once do his knee in - he was showing off with his mates, ski-ing too fast. Completely his fault for being a knob.

I absolutely love it (can’t afford to go anymore and miss it badly). I love the alpine fresh air, the sun on your face, the sparkling snow. It’s not for everyone and I agree, there are risks. But there are risks with all sports - I came closer to dying in the sea in Devon than I ever had on a mountain.

I am Scandinavian and we are taught to ski very young and it’s always been a part of life. I live in the UK now and find it so weird that British people love to ski, it’s not part of their landscape like in Scandinavian countries of parts of France or indeed elsewhere so it’s odd to me, it seems a sort of aspirational thing to do for British people I guess

Maybe everyone who does extreme sports should be made to have proper insurance at all times so that our NHS isn’t picking up the costs if people want to go ahead and do these dangerous sports .
I know people go abroad and take out insurance but what about people who do the sports in the uk ?

Well I wouldn't be doing any of those sports either to be honest 😂