The government of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia has announced that from winter 2012-13, everyone skiing or boarding at one of their four ski areas will be required to wear a helmet.
It's believed to be the first time that a region anywhere in the world has insisted that adults wear helmets for snowsports, although some ski resorts require their employees on the slopes to wear them and/or people taking lessons with their snowsports school.
France, Italy and New Jersey in the USA all require children up to certain ages to wear helmets, but not adults.
Nova Scotia will require ski areas to display notices warning people that they must wear helmets on the slopes or face a fine, but currently there are no plans to fine ski areas if people are seen using their slopes without helmets (as can be the case where children are spotted at some French and Italian resorts).
Provincial inspectors will be employed to visit ski areas and enforce compliance with the new rule, with fines of up to 250 Canadian Dollars for transgressors.
Since 2000, there have been 11 traumatic brain injuries attributed to people skiing or snowboarding without a helmet in Nova Scotia, said Health and Wellness Minister Maureen MacDonald who said it costs the health system about $400,000 per year to care for people with a brain injury.