Do you wear a helmet when you ski or snowboard? Will you now that Natasha Richardson's death has shown how deadly even a tumble on the beginner slope can be? Should ski areas require helmets?

Share your thoughts. The best comments will be published in next week's Adventure section.

Here's a story from the Associated Press:

By MEGAN K. SCOTT

Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — News that actress Natasha Richardson died of head injuries after falling on a ski slope has renewed debate over whether helmets should be mandatory for snowboarders and downhill skiers.

The 45-year-old actress was not wearing a helmet when she fell Monday at Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec. She died Wednesday in a New York hospital.

It’s unclear whether a helmet could have saved Richardson. But research shows wearing a helmet decreases the likelihood of having a head injury by 40 to 60 percent, said Dr. Robert Williams, associate professor of anesthesia and pediatrics at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vt.

“There’s no downside at all to wearing a helmet,” he said.
The National Ski Areas Association is not aware of any states that mandate helmets, but the association and its member resorts promote their use, and a growing number of skiers and snowboarders choose to wear them.

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