There’s a lot of things that can kill you while snowboarding. From avalanches, to collisions, to falls, there’s no shortage of ways to meet an untimely end on a mountain. Luckily, one of the easiest ways to reduce the danger is simple: wear a helmet. According to a new report, it appears that American skiers and snowboarders are heeding that advice in record numbers.
The news comes courtesy of a series of year-end reports by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). The stats covered 492 ski areas in operation across 37 states and included everything from visitor numbers to safety data. Though there were 50 fatalities and 63 catastrophic injuries during the 2024-2025 season, the helmet usage data hints that those numbers could actually have been worse.
“The overwhelming majority of skiers and riders wear helmets, and usage has grown dramatically over the last two decades,” reads the report. “The overall percentage of participants wearing helmets increased from 25 percent in the 2002-2003 season to a national all-time high of 91 percent in the 2024-2025 season.”
It also appears that the youth are leading the charge with helmet usage. Helmet usage of participants 17 and under was 96 percent, and usage among those between the ages of 10 and 14 was even higher at 98 percent. As age goes up, usage goes down, though, with 92 percent of visitors aged 65 and older wearing helmets.
“The high rate of helmet use across all age groups is a testament to the power of education and shared responsibility in our industry,” said NSAA president & CEO Michael Reitzell. “Wearing a helmet has become second nature for most skiers and riders, but our focus remains on pairing that behavior with overall mountain safety awareness. Helmets are one part of a culture of safety that allows everyone to enjoy the mountain experience to its fullest.”
