Now that Natasha Richardson is dead does that mean skiers will be required to wear helmets from now on?

No. There have been no studies to prove that helmets save lives. Some people go faster with helmets because they can't hear the wind. Most skiers die because they haven't taken a lesson and yet feel obligated to ski out of control on blue runs. They are usually male skiers who kill themselves for the same reasons they die in other sports - they take too many risks. Natasha's death is really weird. I've taught skiing and my old roommate was a ski area paramedic and we never saw anything like this. If you examined all of the ski deaths, nearly all occur on blue and black runs , nearly all are males, nearly all were skiing fast and out-of-control. Either she hit her head in an extremely weird way or there was some weakness in her brain.

No. Just because shes famous does that make her life any more valuable then others? I think not. There are plenty of skiing deaths each year, and still no helmet law. I highly doubt there ever will be. Only the Intelligent people will step up and wear a helmet.

Were people forced to wear helmets after Sonny Bono died? Nope. and he was a member of congress. The odds aren't high enough for local governments to enact any such law.

It will probably be like the motorcycle helmet laws...certain states require you to wear helmets while others do not..I'm sure it will end up that way with ski helmets

No, as skiers would not be able to see other skiers at their sides and would colide, as not like motorcycles which are in lanes and at high speed, skiers cross all the time going downhill. People fall in their homes and get the same injury. Should everyone wear a helmet 24/7 to be "safe"?

I ski without a helmet. Wearing a helmet is just a requirement which you should wear, I suppose. LOTS of people will not wear helmets. Poor Natasha was just unlucky I guess, hitting a part of her head which caused a leakage of blood between the skull and brain. But no, helmets will never be compulsory when it comes to skiing. Still, next time I go skiing I probably will rethink it... I just wear a beanie and goggles :l

I definitely think a helmet would have helped immensely but it wouldn't necessarily stop the injury. Her REAL mistake was not going to the hospital immediately. If you go the hospital with a head injury, they will CT you and the subdural hemorrhage that she had would be apparent. That is the sad part, that she probably would be with us today had she gone to the ER.

It might vary from state to state. But after what happened wouldn't you put on a helmet?

no but do it ne ways. it doesnt kill ur style or anything. my and my friends do 50 foot jumps or bigger. biggest is 80 foot gap. we all wear helmets. just get a good looking one and sticker it. make it fresh lookin. i wouldnt go without one, even though i rarely fall on my head