This winter only, 181 tobogganing injuries have been reported at the Montreal Children's Hospital. Outdoor play continues to be a safe and fun way to stay active during the pandemic. Being COVID safe is important, but of equal importance is remembering the fundamentals of preventing a trauma. As spring break approaches, please keep in mind these safety tips from the Montreal Children’s Hospital Trauma Centre’s Injury Prevention Program:

Outdoor winter play

• Dress warm and in layers and change wet clothing quickly to avoid frostbite
• Remove any and all drawstrings and use a neck warmer instead of a scarf to avoid risk of strangulation.
• Avoid playing near roads or when the snowplows are out
• Be extra-cautious when crossing the road – cars may have difficulty stopping on slippery roads and visibility is often diminished
• Avoid aiming snowballs at people or cars, especially when the snow is hard packed or icy
• Forts and tunnels should be built with adult supervision – they can collapse and suffocate a child who is caught inside

Outdoor skating

• Wear a CSA approved helmet
• Ice should be at least 20 cm thick for safe outdoor skating

Skiing/snowboarding

• Always wear a properly fitted helmet
• Ski or snowboard on slopes appropriate for your skill level
• Enroll your children in lessons if possible

Tobogganing safety tips

• Wear a helmet (winter sport helmets are preferred)
• Choose designated hills with a gentle slope
• Make sure that there are no obstacles along the path like benches, trees, frozen bails of hay or metal fences
• The bottom of the run should have a large open flat space for the toboggan to come to a stop on its own
• Clear away from the path as soon as your run is over
• Never toboggan towards the street

Preventing CO poisoning

• Always clear the exhaust pipe of a car before starting the car
• Do not allow anyone to sit in an idling car while shoveling it out of the snow

A beautiful family outdoor day should never end in the emergency room of a Trauma Centre.