Survey Finds 17% Of Brits Hit The Slopes After Only ’Training’ on Computer Games
Survey Finds 17% Of Brits Hit The Slopes After Only ’Training’ on Computer Games
Published : 16-Jan-2012 09:28
Another one of those wonderful surveys has been published, this time by banking giants Santander in a bid to publicise their insurance products.
A company called Opinium Research carried out the research that generated the results below on behalf of Santander by contacting over 9,000 adults between 14 – 18 March 2011 of whom over 750 turned out to be skiers or snowboarders.
Among Opinium's findings were that:
17 per cent of Brits have hit the slopes for the first time having only practiced on a games console such as a Nintendo Wii.
And less surpringly:
"Skiing or snowboarding under the influence of alcohol is the most common cause of accidents."
"One in seven didn't have travel insurance or didn't check to see if they were covered for accidents."
"One in four (23 per cent) admits to having skied or boarded much faster than they should for their level of ability and having attempted to negotiate a piste that was too difficult for their level of skill."
"A further 23 per cent admit to hitting the slopes without taking any lessons from a professional."
Of those surveyed who had been skiing or snowboarding in the past five years, more than half (54 per cent) have been skiing or snowboarding without wearing a helmet, one in four (23 per cent) had been skiing while still under the influence of alcohol from the night before, and 17 per cent while under the influence from lunchtime drinking.
The company warns that, "ski accidents can be costly," pointing out that air ambulances alone can cost up to £30,000 in North America.
It also points out that skiers or snowboarders who take to the slopes while under the influence of alcohol or without wearing a helmet may find they are not covered for any accidents, so it is essential that people read their insurance policies closely.
Moyra O'Doherty, Group Marketing Manager for Santander Insurance, said, "People can get a little over-excited when they are on skiing and snowboarding holidays, and while they should of course enjoy themselves, it is very easy to forget how easy and potentially costly it is to get injured on the mountain.
The company is urging skiers and boarders to take adequate precautions on the slopes, as its findings reveal that one in five (20 per cent) skiers and boarders have had an accident that required professional medical treatment, but one in seven (14 per cent) of those going away either don't have travel insurance or bother to check whether they are covered for winter sports accidents.
The most common injuries suffered were knee injuries, experienced by 18 per cent of all those who have had an accident, ligament or tendon damage in the wrist or arm (10 per cent), broken wrist (9 per cent), and broken arm (8 per cent), broken leg or ankle (8 per cent), or head injury (8 per cent).
Santander, which offers winter sports cover as an option in its travel insurance policies, says that according to its claims data, medical expenses claims account for over 62 per cent of all snowsports claims received.
The company estimates that there are around 212,000 skiers and snowboarders in the UK who have required professional medical treatment for an injury suffered but haven't been able to claim on a travel insurance policy because they weren't covered.
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