A skiing trip should be memorable for the right reasons. However, the speed, terrain and changing conditions involved in winter sports mean that accidents can happen anywhere on the slopes.

Ski injury statistics help to put those risks into context. They show how often injuries occur, which types of skiing injuries are most common, and what factors tend to be involved when a ski accident becomes serious.

The figures do not tell the full story on their own. Behind every statistic is a person whose plans, health and day-to-day life have been disrupted. This is why it is important to look beyond the numbers and understand what they show about safety, responsibility and the steps to take after an accident.

Below, JMW looks at what ski accident statistics reveal about risk on the slopes, the most common ski injuries, and the circumstances in which injured skiers and snowboarders should seek legal advice.

What Do Ski Injury Statistics Show Overall?

When assessing injury risk on the slopes, it is useful to look at several data sources. No single study can give a complete picture of skiing injuries and snowboarding injuries. Different reports look at different groups, countries, settings and levels of severity.

However, the available ski injury statistics do show some clear themes:

• Emergency department data reviewed by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) shows that skiing and snowboarding have a similar estimated injury incidence. It reports 1.23 injuries per 100,000 participants for skiers and 1.22 injuries per 100,000 participants for snowboarders.
• The same AOSSM review found that injury rates for adult skiers and snowboarders fell by more than 50 per cent between 2009 and 2018.
• A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science looked at professional snow sports. It found an overall injury rate of 3.49 injuries per 1,000 athlete-days among professional skiers and snowboarders.
• An older 1996 study published in the Western Journal of Medicine reviewed alpine skiing injuries and found that the knee was the most commonly injured area, accounting for 35% of all injuries across the nine-year study period.
• US-specific data from the National Ski Areas Association for 2023/24 recorded 49 catastrophic injuries across 60.4 million skier visits. This was equivalent to 0.81 catastrophic injuries per million skier visits.

Taken together, these sources suggest that skiing and snowboarding have a relatively low overall injury rate. They also suggest that ski accident statistics have improved over time. Better safety equipment, modern bindings, piste management and greater awareness all appear to have reduced injury rates.

However, the figures should not be read as meaning that snow sports are risk-free. Many accidents still occur each ski season. Some lead to severe injuries, hospital admissions, ongoing medical care and time away from work or normal activities. The key question is not only how often injuries happen, but why the injury occurred and whether reasonable steps could have been taken to prevent it.

Are Skiing Injuries Becoming Less Common?

The available data suggests that skiing injuries and snowboarding injuries have become less common over recent decades.

The AOSSM data, which showed a substantial fall in injury rates for adult skiers and snowboarders, between 2009 and 2018, linked this improvement to several developments across snow sports, including better ski equipment, improved slope grooming, greater safety awareness and wider use of protective equipment.

This is an important trend. It suggests that changes in how ski resorts manage slopes, how equipment is designed and how skiers and snowboarders prepare for the sport have helped to reduce overall injury risk.

However, the figures also do not mean that ski accidents are rare in all circumstances. The level of risk depends on the setting, the skier or snowboarder’s activity, the terrain and the circumstances in which the injury occurred - for example in the professional snow sports setting covered by the Journal of Sport and Health Science review, as this reflects a very different environment where athletes travel at higher speeds, train more often and take part in more demanding events.

What Are the Most Common Skiing Injuries?

The available ski injury statistics show some clear patterns in the types of injuries most often linked to skiing and snowboarding.

Common ski injuries and snowboarding injuries include:

• Knee injuries: skiers are most likely to sustain lower body injuries, especially the knee and anterior cruciate ligaments. (Sources: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine; Western Journal of Medicine)
• Wrist injuries: snowboarders are most likely to sustain upper limb injuries, especially wrist injuries. This reflects the way many snowboarding accidents happen, with people falling onto their hands or arms. (Source: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)
• Fractures: across skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling injuries, fractures are cited as the most common diagnosis linked to emergency department visits. (Source: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)
• Soft tissue injuries: sprains, contusions, ligament tears and meniscal injuries also occur frequently in winter sports. These are recorded alongside fractures in emergency department data. (Source: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)
• Head trauma: in a study of skiing and snowboarding among children cited by the AOSSM review, head trauma was the most common injury, accounting for 19 per cent of injuries among younger individuals. (Source: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine)
• Lower limb injuries among professional athletes: lower limb injuries were the most common injury location among professional snow sports athletes, occurring at a rate of 1.54 injuries per 1,000 athlete-days. (Source: Journal of Sport and Health Science)

These patterns matter because they show how different snow sports place different demands on the body. They also help to explain why the circumstances of a ski accident, including the equipment used, the terrain conditions and the way the injury occurred, are important when assessing why the accident happened.

Take a look at our guide to how common ski accidents are for more analysis of these trends.

What Do the Statistics Show About Severe Ski Injuries?

Severe injuries are much less common than minor and moderate skiing injuries. However, the available ski accident statistics show why serious incidents on the slopes need to be treated carefully.

The National Ski Areas Association recorded 49 catastrophic injuries at U.S. ski areas during the 2023/24 season. This was based on 60.4 million skier visits. It equated to 0.81 catastrophic injuries per million skier visits.

The report defines catastrophic injuries as life-altering injuries. These include serious head injuries, broken neck or back injuries resulting in full or partial paralysis, and injuries resulting in loss of a limb.

This data shows that catastrophic injuries are rare when measured against the total number of skier visits. However, rarity does not reduce the impact of these injuries when they occur. A serious ski accident can lead to hospital admission, long-term medical care, rehabilitation and major changes to a person’s daily life.

What causes the most serious ski accidents?

The data on severe injuries points to a clear theme. Speed, loss of control and collisions with trees were cited as primary factors in catastrophic incidents, as well as collisions with the snow surface itself. This suggests that many serious injuries happen when a skier or snowboarder falls at speed, leaves a controlled line, or collides with a fixed object.

Other data supports the importance of impact and contact in snow sports injuries. The Journal of Sport and Health Science review found that contact trauma was the most common cause of injury among professional skiers and snowboarders, accounting for 57.3 per cent of injuries. This relates to professional snow sports rather than recreational skiing, but it reinforces the role of high-energy impacts in more demanding skiing and snowboarding settings.

The AOSSM review also highlights several factors that can contribute to winter sports injuries. These include steep terrain, high speeds, ability level, changing snow conditions and fatigue. These risks can become more serious when several factors combine.

These statistics do not mean that every serious ski accident is someone else’s fault. Many accidents occur because skiing and snowboarding involve speed and changing conditions. However, they show why the circumstances of the accident matter.

Are Helmets Reducing Head Injuries?

Head injuries remain one of the most serious risks in skiing and snowboarding. However, the data suggests that increased helmet use has  reduced some of the risk.

The AOSSM review notes that helmet use has become much more common in snow sports. It also states that this has been associated with significant decreases in head, neck and face injuries.

The National Ski Areas Association data supports this trend. It reported that 90 per cent of skiers and snowboarders wore helmets during the 2023/24 season. Helmet use was even higher among younger participants, with 96 per cent of skiers and snowboarders under the age of 18 wearing helmets.

This is a positive safety trend, but helmets do not totally remove the risk of head trauma - the AOSSM review notes that traumatic brain injury has been associated with 88 per cent of fatal skiing and snowboarding accidents. This shows why head injuries must be taken seriously, even when safety equipment is used.

Is Skiing a High-Risk Sport?

These ski injury statistics show a balanced picture. Skiing is not high risk in the sense that serious injuries happen to a large proportion of participants. However, it is still a high-speed winter sports activity where serious injuries can occur.

As such, skiing should be seen as a managed risk. The level of risk depends on the conditions, the ski runs being used, the skier’s skill level, the behaviour of other skiers and the safety standards in place at the resort.

For most people, skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed safely with proper equipment, appropriate instruction and sensible decisions on the slopes. However, if a ski accident happens because another person or organisation failed to take reasonable care, the injured person should seek legal advice.

What Should You Do if You Are Injured in a Ski Accident Abroad?

If you are injured in a ski accident abroad, your first priority should be to get the right medical care. Even injuries that seem manageable at first can become more serious once the adrenaline wears off, especially head injuries, knee injuries, fractures and soft tissue injuries.

You should also try to record as much information as possible about how the accident happened. This can be important if you later need to show that another person or organisation was responsible.

After a ski accident, you should:

• Seek medical attention: get assessed by a doctor, hospital, ski patrol team or resort medical centre. Keep copies of any medical records, discharge notes and treatment plans.
• Report the accident: notify the ski resort, ski patrol, instructor, tour operator or equipment provider as soon as possible. Ask for the incident to be recorded and request a copy of the report.
• Take photographs: photograph the ski runs, snow conditions, signage, barriers, damaged equipment, visible injuries and anything else that shows where and how the accident occurred.
• Get witness details: ask for the names and contact details of other skiers, snowboarders, instructors or resort staff who saw what happened.
• Keep key documents: save your booking confirmation, travel documents, lift pass, ski school paperwork, equipment hire agreement and any insurance information.
• Do not rely on liability waivers alone: some ski resorts and activity providers ask participants to sign liability waivers. These do not always prevent an injured person from making a claim. You should seek legal advice before assuming you have no options.
• Speak to a solicitor: ski accident abroad claims can involve different organisations, contracts and insurance arrangements. JMW can explain your options and whether you may be able to claim compensation through the courts in England and Wales.

Evidence is often easier to collect while you are still at the resort. However, you can still seek advice after you return home. A solicitor can review what happened, identify who may have been responsible and explain the next steps.