Slippery slope: inexperience blamed for rise in skiing accidents

The number of Dutch people having accidents on the ski slopes is 10% higher this winter than in the previous season.

The motoring organisation ANWB said it had received 1,100 reports for injuries between December and March, including 170 from people who had to be repatriated by ambulance or taxi.

Arm, knee and leg injuries were the most common reasons for a call-out. The ANWB did not give an explanation for the increase, but said the lack of snow in many popular resorts may have been a factor.

Austrian-based lawyer Stephan Wijnkamp told the Telegraaf that inexperienced skiers underestimating the dangers were a growing problem on the slopes.

“Everyone understands that if you fall off your bike at 40 km/h there’s a chance you won’t survive, but winter sports fans with poor technique hurtle down the piste out of control at around 70 km/h,” he said.

In the 2022/23 season 155 people were repatriated after a ski accident. This year the ANWB received a total of 11,000 calls for assistance during the season, most of them for car breakdowns.