Investigation into Reaction Time in Skiing Accidents

Hey guys,

I'm a final year student at Imperial College London and am working on a project formally titled 'a feasibility study of an emergency safety parachute for a downhill skier'. I am basically investigating whether some form of parachute would in some way minimise the number and severity of injuries in skiing.

I am at the early stages of the project and am currently researching different statistics and sources of useful information that will help me to determine whether it is a realistic proposition.

I have a question that is mainly for those that have been in any accident of any severity when skiing.

I am interested in rough estimates of the time between moment of realisation that there is going to be a collision/fall and the actual moment of collision, even if all you can say is quite vague! (for example <5 seconds)

Any information would be greatly appreciated, as well as any general details of the incident.

Any views you have on the project that you would like to share would also be very helpful and valuable, as you guys obviously have a vast amount of practical experience of skiing!

Thank you, and I greatly appreciate your time and effort.

Peter

I would be impressed if anyone could make the judgment with any accuracy. My perception is that it would definitely be less than 5 seconds.

There are many factors involved in skiing accidents. I think reaction time is one of the least important. Lack of general awareness, and poor anticipation are maybe more significant. The type of accident where there would be time to deploy any sort of safety device is far less common than the collision with another person, or object. Collisions happen mostly because there is not time to react. By the time you realise there is going to be a collision, it's often too late. There are many times we are looking out, and see the probability of a collision, then of course there is time to react, but it is the observation, and anticipation that prevents the collision, not the speed of reaction.

Trencher

I agree that there are many factors involved in an accident, but for my investigation it is the reaction time that is appropriate. Measures to improve upon lack of awareness and poor anticipation are matters for other safety initiatives.

In my work so far I have estimated very quick deployment times for the parachute (< 1 second in some conditions). The main drive for this project is the fact that in many accidents it is 'too late' because the skier can not take any measures to minimise the effects of the accident, but if the skier can deploy a parachute very quickly then the velocity of any collision could be dramatically reduced and it would no longer be too late.

So I am investigating the reaction time windows so as to use any data that you guys may have as a design parameter for the parachute, however small that time window is!

Thanks for your interest guys, much appreciated!

A parachute? If you were going fast the deployment of a parachute (presumably from your back) could cause you to fall regardless.

Yes, but fall at a much lower velocity so as to minimise the damage.

A fall avoiding a collision that could (potentially) not happen? You could be talking A-road speeds slowing you down to a crash at 20/30mph which could still cause serious injury. Not for me, sorry.

I hear for touring they now sell airbags to avoid being buried, to be activated by the person behind you, in the event of an avalanche.

As for reaction times, I have found that the more skiing becomes second nature (though I am still a relative beginner) the more chance there is of putting concentration on what is going on around, wheras as an absolute beginner most of the attention goes into controlling the skis. Maybe beginners should not go out on the piste alone.

At the low speeds I normally travel at, I doubt whether a parachute would open. If it did, would it really make much difference to the braking distance for a parallel stop? But some skiers, and especially boarders, seem to travel very fast indeed.

Also, if a parachute had strong braking effect, surely you would lose balance and fall, which is sometimes the quickest way to stop, but not where it is steep, and would decrease control. While you are on your feet you have the best chance of steering and braking under control, provided you are skiing within your skill level. Maybe it could also get entangled with someone traversing behind you.

Has anyone actually tried releasing a parachute behind a skier? Seems to make more sense for boarders as they are often travelling straighter.

It would be a pity to discourage this research into safety, but at first sight it seems hard to see how it might work.

Some major accidents, like the German minister who killed a woman last season, involve emerging too fast from a side road on the piste. For slower skiers like me, it is useful to know if someone who is not really in control is trying to overtake me. In this situation someone went into me from behind while I was travelling in a straight line. I try to look round before a turn. If someone is trying to pass who is not under control I keep well out of their way, and often stop to let them pass. If I look round and see a good skier about to pass, I just carry on and let them get on with it. So for me, a way so seeing what is going behind would be a help.

There are times when skis cross, or hit something untoward under the snow, and I fall. There are times this even happens to experts. Maybe in this situation, on a steep slope, a parachute would be a good idea?