Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Crash-test dummies have taken a beating in a series of simulated collisions with a tree – all paid for by Direct Line.
The insurer wanted to find out how much difference wearing a ski helmet can make if you're involved in a major impact on the slopes.
The results are frightening. They revealed that skiers wearing helmets experience at least two-thirds less G-force than skiers without helmets. That means a greatly reduced risk of suffering a serious head injury such as a brain contusion.
Tom Bishop, travel insurance chief at Direct Line said: "We do not enforce the use of helmets when taking part in winter sports, but the safety of our customers on the slopes is paramount to us. So we encourage the use of approved helmets, especially in light of this research."
The insurer receives around 3,000 winter sports claims per year, most of which are medical, with three or four deaths.
Said Mr Bishop: "Winter sports injuries can be very costly, and... a skier could face thousands of pounds in charges for mountain rescue, ambulances, new flights and additional accommodation. This is why taking out appropriate travel insurance is so crucial."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments