Skiing is a sport that is enjoyed by thousands of people each year, but it is well-established that it carries a clear risk of injury, from minor bruises to severe injuries such as spinal cord injury, head trauma or fractures.

Some injuries are caused by collisions with other skiers or snowboarders, while others result from falls, poor weather conditions, faulty piste design and conditions, or defective ski equipment. In more serious cases, ski injuries can require extensive medical treatment and ongoing rehabilitation.

In this blog post, the experts at JMW will examine the latest statistics showing how common skiing injuries are, and the overall trends in the frequency of ski-related injuries, as well as the types of accidents that are most common among those taking part in winter sports.

How Common Are Ski Accidents? Examining the Statistics

When discussing the risk of injury on the slopes, it’s useful to examine data from a range of independent studies and reports. These studies help build a clearer picture of how frequently these incidents occur, what types of injuries are sustained, and how factors like equipment, weather conditions and skill level contribute to the overall injury rate.

• Data compiled by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine show that skiing and snowboarding both have an estimated injury incidence of around 1.2 injuries per 100,000 participants. Between 2008 and 2019, data from hospital emergency departments recorded over 156,000 injuries linked to skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. However, injury rates for adult skiers and snowboarders have been falling, with more than a 50% drop in injuries for both sports between 2009 and 2018.
• A large 2020 study published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science reviewed injury data for professional skiers and snowboarders, finding an injury rate of 3.49 injuries per 1,000 athlete-days. Among all snow sports, freestyle skiing carried the highest injury rate, while Nordic skiing had the lowest. The research also showed that severe injuries occurred at a higher rate than minor ones.
• A 2023 study published in the journal Injury offered a slightly different perspective, looking at over 43,000 skiing and snowboarding accidents in the Austrian state of Tyrol between 2017 and 2022. The research found that the overall injury rate was 0.44 injuries per 1,000 skier days, and that injury rates have decreased over recent decades.

The available data shows that skiing and snowboarding have a relatively low overall injury rate, and that rates have continued to fall in recent years. This trend reflects improvements in modern ski equipment, better slope safety, and greater emphasis on physical fitness.

With that said, the risk of injury has not disappeared entirely. Even with safer conditions and more awareness, thousands of people still experience ski-related injuries each year. At higher levels of the sport, the injury rate increases, and the chance of sustaining more severe injuries is greater. At JMW, we have seen an increase in serious injuries following skier and snowboarder collisions over the last two seasons.

What Are the Most Common Ski Injuries?

The studies listed above also highlighted some clear patterns in terms of which types of injuries are most common:

• Skiers are more likely to injure their lower body, especially their knees. One of the most common injuries is a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) - a major ligament in the knee that helps with stability. (Source: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)
• Snowboarders are more likely to injure their upper body, particularly the wrist. This often happens when people fall and instinctively put their hands out to break the fall. (Source: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)
• Across both sports, fractures are the most common reason for visiting A&E, although many people also experience sprains, bruises (contusions), ligament tears, and meniscal injuries in the knee. (Source: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)
• Among professional athletes, lower leg injuries are the most frequent, happening at a rate of 1.54 injuries per 1,000 athlete-days. (Source: Journal of Sport and Health Science)
• That same study found that bruising (contusions) was the single most common injury, occurring at a rate of 1.82 per 1,000 athlete-days. (Source: Journal of Sport and Health Science)
• It also showed that moderate to severe injuries were more common than mild ones among those taking part at a professional level. (Source: Journal of Sport and Health Science)

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced skier, the knees, wrists, shoulders and ankles are the areas most likely to be affected if you’re involved in an accident on the slopes.

What Factors Make Ski Accidents More Likely?

Skiing accidents can happen for many different reasons, but studies highlight certain patterns and risk factors that make them more likely. These include the time of day, location on the slope, physical characteristics, and how the accident occurred.

• Time of day matters: most accidents happen late in the morning, between 10:30 and 12:00, accounting for 38% of all incidents. A further 17% of accidents occur in the early afternoon (14:00–15:30), and accidents also rise again at the end of the day (15:30–17:30), when people may be more tired. (Source: The National Mountain Safety Observation System (SNOSM) and National School of Mountain Sports (ENSM), via the Telegraph)
• Location is a major factor: while it might seem like the most dangerous terrain would be steep black runs or off-piste areas, most accidents actually happen on blue slopes, which are considered intermediate level. In fact, 56% of ski accidents take place on blue slopes, compared to just 2% on black runs and 1% off-piste. (Source: SNOSM and ENSM via The Telegraph)
• Contact trauma is the leading cause of injury: accidents are most frequently caused by a collision or impact - either with another skier, a fixed object, or a hard fall. This accounted for 3.20 injuries per 1,000 athlete-days in a study of professional athletes. (Source: Journal of Sport and Health Science)
• Children may be at increased risk: research suggests that children are more vulnerable to injury due to their higher centre of gravity, underdeveloped coordination, and proportionally larger heads. These factors can affect balance, reaction times, and fall mechanics. (Source: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)

These patterns show that accidents can occur at any skill level and on the most popular slopes. Factors like fatigue, crowded slopes, weather conditions, and ski equipment all contribute to the risk of injury throughout the ski season.

Can You Claim Compensation for a Ski Accident Abroad?

Skiing accidents can happen anywhere. If you sustained an injury abroad while on a ski slope and another party was at fault, you may be entitled to compensation under the laws of England and Wales.

Ski injury claims often arise when another skier causes a collision, a ski instructor fails to provide proper guidance, or faulty ski equipment contributes to an accident. In some cases, poorly maintained slopes or resort vehicles can also lead to serious incidents. These can result in common skiing injuries such as head injuries, knee injuries like ACL and medial collateral ligament tears, ankle injuries, lower leg fractures, and shoulder injuries from a fall or impact.

To bring a successful ski accident claim, it is essential to establish who was responsible. JMW has extensive experience helping people who have sustained ski-related injuries abroad. Our solicitors will assess the circumstances of your injury to determine your options.

Our aim is always to make the claims process as smooth as possible, so you are able to focus on making a full recovery and return to the financial position you were in before the accident.