Tragically, on March 18, 45 year-old actress Natasha Richardson died of head trauma from a skiing accident. Richardson was taking a lesson on a bunny slope without a helmet when she fell and struck her head. The accident seemed innocuous at first; she was coherent and did not report any symptoms. However, she developed an acute headache an hour later, and her condition descended quickly. Within hours she was flown to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York in a critical state, where she died of an epidural hematoma (essentially, a bleed between her brain and skull). Tragically, witnesses to the accident reported she refused to wear a rental helmet, which would likely have saved her.

            Although the skull is the most composed encasing of the body, it can only withstand a collision at approximately 15 mph, which is the speed an average person can run. Overshadowed by serious diseases, helmet safety has faded over the years from public concern. Yet, brain injuries remain a prevalent issue, and they are very easy to prevent. The most recent studies report a standard helmet can reduce the risk of brain injury by trauma by 75%.

            Richardson’s death has since sparked debate in both the United States and Canada. Should helmets be mandatory during dangerous activities, or should the people be given the freedom to choose? Although a consensus has not been reached, Canadian officials are already considering enforcing a law requiring helmet use during any high-speed activity, including skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding, skating, and the like. Although no official debate has initiated, the United States may be soon to follow.