University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Helmets: The safe choice. A study on the benefits of helmet safety while skiing and/or snowboarding: A public relations program to encourage helmet use

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Helmets: The safe choice. A study on the benefits of helmet safety while skiing and/or snowboarding: A public relations program to encourage helmet use

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Content HELMETS: THE SAFE CHOICE A STUDY ON THE BENEFITS OF HELMET SAFETY WHILE SKIING AND/OR SNOWBOARDING - A PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE HELMET USE by Jennifer Lynne Norris A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS (STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS) May 2003 Copyright 2003 Jennifer Lynne Norris Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 1416570 UMI UMI Microform 1416570 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THE GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY PARK LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90089-1695 This thesis, written by JgtJuiP-gg.. L • under the direction o f h P tf thesis committee, and approved by all its members, has been presented to and accepted by the Director o f Graduate and Professional Programs, in partial fulfillment o f the requirements fo r the degree o f Director Date May 16 T 2003 Thesis Committee Chair Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ii Table of Contents Abstract Introduction Part I - Research Research Methods History of Skiing History and Rise of Snowboarding Industry Demographics Ski and Snowboard Injury Statistics Helmet Usage Helmets Becoming "Cool" Opponents to Helmets Related: Bicycle Helmet Laws and Statistics Related: Seat Belt Laws Safety Measures in Other Sports NSAA-Sponsored Safety Programs Conclusion of Research Endnotes Part II - Public Relations Program Goals and Objectives Key Audiences Key Messages Strategies and Tactics Evaluation Conclusion Part III - Appendix Timeline Bibliography iii 1 3 4 5 7 10 11 13 16 17 18 20 21 22 26 28 30 31 32 33 37 40 43 44 45 47 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Jennifer Lynne Norris Jennifer Floto ABSTRACT HELMETS: THE SAFE CHOICE A Study on the Benefits of Helmet Safety while Skiing and/or Snowboarding — A Public Relations Program to Encourage Helmet Use Statistics show that participating in the two largest snow sports - skiing and snowboarding - is at its safest today. With new advances in equipment, the chance of serious injury or death is minimal compared to other activities. However, recent on-slope fatalities that could have been prevented with the use of a helmet have brought the issue of snow sports safety to the forefront. Some resorts are requiring the use of helmets for children, whereas others are recommending use for all enthusiasts. This study examines the snow sports industry, combining demographics and injury statistics within skiing and snowboarding. Previous public relations campaigns for safety belts and bicycle helmets are examined, as well as current snow sports industry-sponsored safety programs. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. iv Finally, a public relations campaign is proposed to educate skiers and snowboarders of helmet-use benefits so they may make the right choice. It is the goal of the campaign to tip the scale in favor of helmets. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 1 INTRODUCTION Major public relations campaigns are often run through agencies for large corporations, or through corporations themselves, to promote a product (including an entertainer or sports figure), to gain support for a cause, or to change the public's perception. Campaigns for non-profit organizations or industry associations, such as the current National Ski Areas Association-run safety campaign, are an oft- overlooked aspect of public relations. It is one thing to design a campaign to change the minds of consumers, it is yet another to design a campaign to educate on the benefits so participants may make a choice that is right for them. Several snow sports safety campaigns have been implemented in the past few years following on-slope fatalities that could have been prevented. Currently, the NSAA is sponsoring the "Lids on Kids" program to educate parents about the benefits of helmets for their children. Whereas the goal of "Lids on Kids" is to increase the number of children wearing helmets, this helmet safety campaign focuses upon educating all skiers and snowboarders on helmet safety so they may make the right decision for them and their children. Hopefully, this education will then encourage parents to become role models for their children, rather than having a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 2 Helmets are not currently a required piece of equipment for skiing and snowboarding. It is not the intention of this study and ensuing campaign to make them mandatory for all snow sports enthusiasts. The purpose is to educate skiers and snowboarders about the benefits of helmet use so they become accepted and adopted by the snow sports public. An analogy could be made: "Poles are not required to ski, but how many skiers do you see without poles?" It is the goal of this campaign to tip the scale in favor of helmets. The following helmet safety campaign contains research and statistics from the ski industry, as well as comparisons to past safety belt and bicycle helmet campaigns. In addition, an examination of the current ski and snowboard safety campaigns is included for background information about the industry and where it can be improved. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 3 PARTI RESEARCH Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 4 "(A) ski area is not just a place of business, a mountain amusement park, as it were. Instead, it is a winter community whose members, both skiers and area personnel, are dedicated to the enjoyment of the sport." - Mad River Glen, VT charter (courtesy "Downhill Slide" by Hal Clifford) RESEARCH METHODS In order to fully understand the importance of wearing a helmet, it was important to research several areas of the snowsports industry. The history of both skiing and snowboarding were important in order to establish passion that transcends from skiers in the early 1900's to the early snowboarders in the 1980's and on to the skiers and snowboarders of today. Publications about the industry are not abundant, but a general sense of the attributes of each group were gained by those used. Recent news articles about the state of the snowsports industry, as well as about head injuries and helmet sales supplied statistics for the report. Information on current ski and snowboard safety programs was collected from industry Web sites and examined for helmet safety effectiveness. The member areas of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) currently implement programs included in this report. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 5 Additionally, it was important to examine past safety initiative campaigns to better understand the opposition and the result of compliance. Both the safety belt and bicycle helmet campaigns related well to ski and snowboard helmet safety. Finally, primary research through interviews with and observations of ski school personnel and skiers/snowboarders at Kirkwood Mountain Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California was conducted. This front-line research reinforced statistics found in previous reports, and allowed for an opportunity to assess current attitudes and behaviors not contained in research. HISTORY OF SKIING Skisport, a term used to describe skiing as a recreation, sports and business, has its roots in the Norwegian Idraet and Swedish Idrott, words that mean outdoor physical exercise in which strength, manliness and toughness were the goal. Calling skisport, "the greatest, cleanest, healthiest and most exhilarating of all outdoor sports," Norwegian immigrants started the National Ski Association in 1905 in order to attract more people to a sport they endorsed from their home country.1 In the early 1900s, ski clubs began appearing across the country. From college clubs (St. Olaf's, 1888; Michigan School of Mines, 1904; Plymouth Normal School, 1904; Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 6 Dartmouth College, 1909) to organizations for the wealthy (Boston's Appalachian Mountain Club; San Francisco's Sierra Club), ski clubs were the preferred way to enjoy skiing in the outdoors.2 Between 1930 and 1940, skisport grew into a venue for wealthy socialites to spend weekends. In 1936, America's first destination resort, Sun Valley, opened in Ketchum, Idaho. It brought glamour to skiing with promotions such as the "St. Moritz (Switzerland) of the West." The opening of Sun Valley paved the way for destination resorts such as Mammoth Mountain in California, Aspen and Vail in Colorado, and Stowe and Killington in Vermont. Improvements in both equipment and skier transportation and the demand for winter vacations brought expansion of the sport throughout the 1960's and 1970's.3 Hitting its peak in the early 1980's, skiing began to suffer from industry consolidation, product management and changing demographics, bringing the sport to a plateau throughout the remainder of the decade and into the 1990's. According to the NSAA, 85 percent of people who try skiing fail to take up the sport. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 7 But as statistics contained later in this report show, skier visits are climbing due to the attraction of a newer winter sport - snowboarding. HISTORY AND RISE OF SNOWBOARDING Snowboarding is a relatively new entry to snow sports. Tracing its earliest roots to the mid-60s, snowboarding was bom when an engineer in Michigan noticed his daughter standing on her sled as she continued down the hill.4 Called "Snurfers," the early snowboards had no edge, but mimicked the feeling of surfing the big wave while holding onto a rope for balance. It w asn't until the mid-70s that a patent for the first metal-edge snowboard was granted. The early 1980s brought the first competitions, and in 1986, Stratton Mountain in Vermont became the first resort to offer snowboard lessons through its ski school. The culmination of snowboarding's rise was the inclusion of the sport in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. However, snowboarding was not without its critics. When the sport first edged into the mainstream in the late '80s, many resorts shied away from allowing snowboarders and skiers to share the mountain. Because of their anti-establishment Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 8 attitude and lack of ski etiquette, snowboarders were perceived to be the enemy to the grace and refined nature of skiing. Throughout the 1990s, as a result of declining skier visits, resorts began opening up larger areas to snowboarders. This change brought about a new clientele to the mountain, and has, in part, contributed to the increase in skiing as well. Snowboarding has given the skiing world terrain parks and half-pipes, and has restored a general sense of fun into the sport. This sense of "fun" coincides with recent statistics. According to a 2001 National Sporting Goods Association survey, snowboarding was the second-fastest-growing sport behind its first cousin skateboarding. The number of snowboarders has increased 74.2% since 1996 to about 5.3 million last year. But snowboarders are young. The demographic categories of 7-11 and 12-17 years are the only ages where snowboarding overtakes skiing in number of participants. However, this then means that a new crop of snow sports enthusiasts - the snowboard generation - will be teaching their children to ride down the hill on a single board in the next 10-20 years. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 9 The rise of snowboarding, and the marriage of skiing with snowboarding at the majority of resorts is not without risk. Snowboarding has an easier learning curve than that of skiing. According to certified snowboard instructors, a semi-athletic person (or weekend warrior) can master the basics of snowboarding within the first three days, as opposed to skiing which takes several lessons to learn proper technique. Advanced snowboarding lessons are not as popular, and at one California resort, are only taught if purchased as a private lesson. Whereas skiers take several lessons to progress, snowboarders can learn to turn and ride in powder within a few days on the slopes.5 This steep learning curve, and lack of formal lessons, brings a group of enthusiasts who have ultimately "skipped grades," but are now sharing the mountain. Additionally, since snowboarders ride sideways down the hill (as opposed to skiers who ride with their bodies square to the slope), snowboarders must turn their head to one side to look downhill. This results in a large blind spot over the front shoulder. This blind spot is dangerous to skiers and other snowboarders when merging into another trail. As a snowboarder you may not be able to see uphill Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 10 when merging, one of the items included in "Your Responsibility Code" (explanation contained later in this document), therefore risking collision with other skiers and snowboarders. INDUSTRY DEMOGRAPHICS According to Snow Business, in the 1970s and '80s skiing was one of the most popular outdoor recreation activities with differing studies placing the number of skiers in the United States at between 12.9 and 14.6 million.6 A survey by the National Sporting Goods Association placed the average skier as a 35 year-old male with an average income of more than $56,000 per year. This demographic also participated in tennis, cycling, sailing and racquetball and was twice as likely to buy wine or invest in real estate. On the other hand, the average snowboarder is a 21 year-old male, with men making up more than 73 percent of boarders nationwide. Snowboarders are more likely to also be students, mountain bikers, hikers and skateboarders.7 In a survey conducted by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the winter of 2001-02 was one of the best to date, with more than 54.4 million skier visits nationwide.8 (A skier visit is a day of skiing. Therefore, if a skier has 10 days on the Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 11 slopes, he/she has recorded 10 skier visits.) This is just slightly under the record 57.3 million skier visits in 2000-01, but is not cause for alarm as the previous winter spike was attributed to better than average snow conditions throughout the United States. It is also difficult to measure the effects of 9/11 on the '01-'02 season. The NSAA survey also revealed that snowboarding accounted for 29.2 of the total skier visits in 2001-02, up from 27.7 the season prior. This rise can be attributed to popularity of snowboarding during the Olympics and the increasing tendency of skiers to cross over into snowboarding (either full- or part-time). However, snowboarding is growing fastest at smaller resorts such as Southern California's Mountain High. In 2001-02 more than 98 percent of the 100,000 new guests at the resort were on a snowboard.9 SKI AND SNOWBOARD INJURY STATISTICS Though skiing and snowboarding - snowsports - involves sliding down a slippery hill or mountain at varying speeds, the sports themselves are relatively safe compared to other outdoor activities. For example, according to an NSAA comparison between skiing/snowboarding and other activities, the snowsports duo had the lowest fatality rate per million participants at 4.21. Compared to scuba Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 12 diving at 56.9 fatalities per million, swimming at 21.9 and cycling at 20.5, skiing/snowboarding are relatively safe sports.1 0 On average, there are 39 fatalities per year on American slopes. The winter of 2001- 02 saw 45 fatalities. With 54.4 million skier visits, this accounts for a fatality rate of just .83 per million skier visit.1 1 More prevalent than deaths in skiing and snowboarding are injuries such as tom ACL (knee), broken bones (especially wrists for snowboarders) and head trauma. However, the New York Times reports that snow sports are safer today than ever, with studies suggesting an 85 percent decrease in fractures and sprains. This decrease has been attributed to more technologically advanced and safer equipment.1 2 So why is a safety campaign necessary? It is estimated that more than 7,700 head injuries per year (2,600 to children) can be prevented by wearing a helmet.1 3 These injuries range from brain damage to concussions to the simple bum p on the head. A study by Dr. Stewart Levy, a Denver neurosurgeon who compiles statistics on ski and snowboard injuries, shows Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 13 that wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of a serious head injury by 75 percent and brain injuries by 42 percent.1 4 Levy's study also notes that among non-helmet users, snowboarders sustained brain damage at three times the rate of skiers. However, studies have shown that helmets can only help you survive an impact at slower speeds. At a rate faster than 14.1 m ph - much slower than most intermediate skiers - helmets can prevent the "most significant type of brain damage in accidents."1 5 But since more experienced skiers and snowboarders travel at speeds between 25-40 m ph - and higher - even helmets may not be able to help in an impact. This means that for beginning skiers and snowboarders who travel at slower speeds, helmets can highly beneficial. HELMET USAGE Helmets have historically been worn as protective gear for ski racers. Wearing a helmet either meant that one was in a race or that one was a very good skier. The deaths of Rep. Sonny Bono at Heavenly, California in December 1997 and Michael Kennedy, son of Sen. Robert Kennedy, in Aspen, Colorado just ten days later changed the traditional helmets-are-for-racers-only mentality. Their deaths Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 14 sparked a helmet-wearing trend among skiers and snowboarders alike. Both Bono and Kennedy struck trees at a high rate of speed and probably would not have survived even if they were wearing a helmet, but the high profile lives that each led made the news and illuminated the issue of snowsports safety in the media. These incidents led to an increase in the number of helmets sold and worn by skiers and snowboarders. In 1997-98, 524,671 helmets were sold, rising to 637,757 in the winter of 2001-02.1 6 On March 23, 2002, another tragedy changed the face of snowsports. A six-year old girl died skiing in a class at Aspen children's ski school after she veered off-trail into a tree. Medical experts say she may have lived had she been wearing a helmet.1 7 This prompted Aspen to immediately mandate helmet usage for children under-six enrolled in ski school, an age requirement that was increased to age 12 by the end of the season. This incident not only brought to light the importance of ski safety for children, but the ski area's responsibility to ensure the children are as safe as possible. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 15 Joining Aspen in requiring helmets for children enrolled in ski school classes for the winter of 2002-03 are the Colorado resorts of Crested Butte and Powderhom, and Shawnee Mountain in Maine. Vail Resorts is "recommending" that all children in ski school under the age of 14 wear a helmet. If a parent chooses for his/her child not to wear a helmet, he/she must sign a liability release.1 8 A recent survey of skiers and snowboarders at Kirkwood Ski Resort in California showed that out of 942 skiers and snowboarders loading an intermediate/advanced chairlift, 350 (37.2%) were wearing helmets and 592 (62.8%) went without.1 9 Loading a lift for beginning skiers, 152 of 639 (23.8%) wore a helmet.2 0 This number is not all that surprising, since beginning skiers are less likely to have technical equipment, nonetheless it is alarming given the statistics that most head injuries resulting from lower-speed collisions could be prevented by wearing a helmet. Most surprisingly, just 33.1% (87 of 263) of skiers and snowboarders riding the advanced/expert chair were wearing a helmet.2 1 Since one perception of helmet use is that of being an advanced/expert skier or snowboarder, the fact that such a low number of riders on the advanced/expert chair were wearing helmets is startling. Helmet education, then, is needed at all levels of ability. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 16 HELMETS BECOMING "COOL" Adult helmets are now becoming the hot sellers. As more and more children are either mandated or requested (by parents) to wear helmets, they are questioning mom and dad's choice not to wear a helmet. Many parents, at risk of being seen in the eyes of their children as a hypocrite, are foregoing the fleece hat or headband and are donning a helmet. An adult interviewed by the Denver Post says, "You can't expect your kids to wear helmets if you don't. You need to be a good role model."2 2 Sales of adult helmets have risen 40 percent in the past year. One parent at Kirkwood mentioned that he requires his daughter to wear a helmet, but does not yet wear a helmet himself. However, once she begins to inquire about why he is not wearing a helmet, he stated, "I will have to wear a helmet from then on." With further education on helmet safety, he may be persuaded sooner rather than later. Along with pressure, fashion is contributing to helmet sales. Children are noticing that the "cool" snowboarders and skiers wear helmets, which makes them more likely to want to wear one as well. With the shift in "coolness" from the race course to the half-pipe, and the wide array of helmet colors available, wearing a helmet is Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 17 now becoming a fashion statement. Helmets are also getting funky, with models available in the shape of a cow's head or complete with a unicorn horn.2 3 This adds a sense of individuality to the skier or snowboarder wearing the helmet. OPPONENTS TO HELMETS According to Jasper E. Shealy, an engineer and tester for the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM-Intemational), wearing a helmet gives skiers and snowboarders a false sense of security. Although studies show that around 30 percent of skiers and boarders wear helmets today, compared to close to zero in 1995, there has been an increase of the severity of head injuries among helmeted skiers which can be attributed to skiing out of control or out of their ability range.2 4 Helmet usage may take a while to become accepted by everyone, just as the seat belt, bicycle and motorcycle helmets laws did. Reasons for not wearing helmets mirror similar complaints when bicycle helmets laws were enacted in 1987. Opponents say the helmets are too warm, reduce your range of vision, are too expensive, aren't stylish - and don't allow you to experience the wind-in-your-hair freedom of skiing. Some opponents take it one step further, by resisting not-yet- Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 18 implemented helmet mandates as an invasion of privacy. Opponents feel as if their freedom of enjoying the outdoors and the sport of skiing or snowboarding is being violated. RELATED: BICYCLE HELMET LAWS AND STATISTICS The acceptance of snow sports helmets has a direct correlation to the acceptance of bicycle helmets w hen state governments first enacted helmet laws. In 1987, California became the first state to mandate the use of helmets for any passengers under the age of five. New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania followed with the same law in the years following. In 1990, Howard County, Maryland, was the first area in the nation that mandated riders of a certain age (in this case, under-17) to wear a helmet. New Jersey became the first to mandate helmets for bicycle operations under-14 in 1992. Since then, 20 state laws (including the District of Columbia) and 89 local ordinances have been passed mandating bicycle helmet use. California amended its 1987 law in 1994 to include all riders under 18 and again in 2003 to include scooters, skateboarders and in-line skaters in the helmet mandate. So far, no state requires adults to wear helmets while riding a bicycle. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 19 According to statistics compiled by the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, of 85 million bicycle riders in the United States, about 800 die and another 550,000 visit hospital emergency rooms with bike-related injuries each year. Of the fatal injuries, more than two-thirds are from traumatic brain injury. A helmet can prevent 88 percent of brain injuries caused by a bike accident. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that since the addition of bicycle helmet laws, helmet usage has increased from 18 percent in 1991 to 50 percent in 1998. A full 98 percent of helmet wearers state they do so for safety reasons, 70 percent because a spouse of parent told them to and only 44 percent because a law requires it. The CPSC also reports that 290 baby boomers (those between ages 35-54 in 1998) died as a result of bike accidents - tremendously more than swimming (67) and skiing (7) in that same age group. Baby boomers died from head injuries at almost twice the rate of children, which could be a result of mandated helmet use by children. Opponents to helmet laws for children say that kids may be more apt to "ditch" the helmet when they come to the age when it isn't mandated anymore. Still others are averse to regulations. But the statistics don't lie; wearing a helmet while biking can save your life. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 20 RELATED: CASE STUDY - SEAT BELTS An examination of the seat belt laws can also draw comparisons with helmet safety. While wearing a seat belt is now a law in all states (at varying degrees of enforcement), some people still perceive it to be a choice and opt not to wear a seat belt. The following is a background on the safety belt issue. Travel Safety Now, Inc., in conjunction with Casey Communications Management, produced the Silver Anvil-winning National Safety Belt Program in 1988 to promote the use of seat belts through seat belt laws. TSN found that the only effective way to get people to wear seat belts in 30 different countries, was to make it law. The program contained PSAs from then-President Ronald Reagan and actor Paul Newman, as well as news conferences, newspaper supplements and a traveling exhibit for conventions and trade shows. The purpose of the campaign was to increase the number of states requiring seat belt use. In 1984, not one state required seat belt usage, but by 1987, 31 states including the District of Columbia did. The National Safety Council reports that as of January 2003, 18 states (and D.C.) allow police to stop and ticket someone solely for not wearing a seat belt, with the remaining 31 allowing law enforcement to ticket only after that person was stopped for another offense. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 21 According to the NSC's Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign, a nationwide observation of adults concluded that when a driver is buckled, the restraint use for children is 87 percent. However, when a driver is unbuckled, restraint use for the children they are transporting drops to 24 percent. SAFETY MEASURES IN OTHER SPORTS Several sports - amateur and professional - have advanced new safety measures in an attempt to better protect participants and fans. For example: • The National Hockey League, responding to the death of a teenage fan by an errant puck, required all NHL arenas prior to the 2002-03 season to install netting that reaches from corner to comer in the endzones. Some teams already practice in rinks that are completely surrounded by netting to protect spectators. The league already mandates clubs to announce, at several times during the game, to be aware that pucks may fly out of the playing surface at any time.2 5 • Several companies are now making helmets specifically for soccer. The helmets are designed to prevent potential brain damage caused by heading the ball. This movement stemmed from a 1998 publication of a study of soccer players in their mid-20s who scored poorly on memory, planning and visual processing tests.2 6 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 22 • In 1996, the Consumer Product Safety Commission endorsed and encouraged the use of soft-core balls in tee-ball and Little Leagues to lessen the injuries caused by the force of a baseball. Little League Baseball Inc. was studying the use of said balls, but as of 1997, did not endorse them. • According to a recent report in the Los Angeles Times, NHL players are now encouraged to wear face shields to prevent injuries to their eyes. In any given hockey season, approximately 60 players suffer an eye injury caused by high sticking, errant pucks or other dangers of the game. The NHL is not mandating the wearing of face shields, but through word-of-mouth and personal experience, 32% of NHL players are now wearing one. However, opponents to the face shields complain that device impairs vision, and that "it's manly not to wear one."2 7 It is natural, then, for a high-visibility, high-risk sport like skiing to be the next in a long line of proposed safety measures. NSAA-SPONSORED SAFETY PROGRAMS2 8 The following programs are current safety initiatives from the National Ski Areas Association in place at more than 300 ski areas in the United States: Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 23 • "Your Responsibility Code" Since the 1960s, "Your Responsibility Code," (formerly the "Skiers Responsibility Code") had been the standard of ski and snowboard etiquette at resorts throughout the United States. Though not a law, "Your Responsibility Code" is comprised of several basic, but important principles on ski area slopes. The following is the exact wording of "Your Responsibility Code": 1. Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects. 2. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them. 3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above. 4. Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others. 5. Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment. 6. Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas. 7. Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 24 Many resorts print the responsibility code on the back of lift tickets, near or under the resort's release of liability. Additionally, the NSAA requests, but does not require, that resort managers post the code in a prominent location for reference by guests and employees. • "Heads Up" for Safety The NSAA "Heads Up" program started in 2000 to educate skiing/ snowboarding newcomers and veterans, and employees on mountain safety. The program encompasses one message that is adaptable for the three audiences targeted in the program - Heads Up. You're Responsible. A large component of the program is the annual National Ski and Snowboard Safety Awareness Week. This weeklong event takes place in mid-January and involves all NSAA member resorts. Sponsored in part by Boeri helmets, Safety Awareness Week is aimed at educating ski area employees and guests about on-slope safety measures through promotions, educational programs and on-mountain contests. Some of the activities executed at resorts for the 2003 Safety Awareness Week included: Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 25 • $5 off lift tickets to people wearing helmets - Northstar-at-Tahoe, CA and Waterville Valley, NH • Free terrain park safety clinic - Alpine Meadows, CA • Free back-country awareness clinic - Beaver Creek, CO • Free avalanche awareness clinic - Squaw Valley, CA • Special safety seminars at Summit County Middle School (CO) by ski patrollers - Keystone, CO • Groups of 20 or more receive a special price for lift ticket, lesson and rentals. Ski patrol on hand to start the day with a safety session - Loon Mountain, NH • Distribution of fortune cookies with elements of the responsibility code - several resorts • Free lift ticket with purchase of a Boeri helmet - Killington, VT • "Lids on Kids" Started prior to the 2002-03 season, the NSAA's "Lids on Kids" program educates parents about putting helmets on children and heightens awareness of helmet usage. Endorsed by several ski associations including the National Ski Patrol, Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 26 Professional Ski Instructors of America, American Association of Snowboard Instructors, National Safety Council, SnowSports Industries America and the International Brain Injury Association, as well as several helmet manufacturers, "Lids on Kids" is an addition to the NSAA's Heads Up national ski and snowboard safety awareness campaign. However, the "Lids on Kids" program focuses on giving parents the information needed to make a choice if a helmet is right for their child, but there isn't promotion or information if a helmet is right for the adult as well. CONCLUSIONS OF RESEARCH By comparing the safety belt and bike helmet statistics to issue of ski and snowboard helmets, as well as examining current programs and their outreach to the skiing and boarding community, a foundation has been established for a public relations campaign encouraging the use of helmets for both children and adults while participating in snow sports. Research has proven that wearing a helmet can prevent some - but not all - head injuries sustained while skiing or snowboarding. Helmets are not a new Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 27 phenomenon; Racers have been using them in competition for years. Rather, the use of helmets by recreational skiers and snowboarders is relatively new, prompted by deaths of celebrities, which raised the issue of ski and snowboard safety in the media. It is important, however, for skiers and snowboarders to understand that wearing a helmet does not make one Superman - just as driving a 4WD or all- wheel-drive vehicle does not give you the right to drive over the posted limits in a snowstorm. A helmet should not give you a false sense of security. W hat is important is that skiers and snowboarders who chose to wear a helmet continue to follow "Your Responsibility Code" while on the hill to lessen the chance for injury. A helmet is just one more precautionary measure to help prevent an injury. Therefore, a campaign that encompasses the following should have the most impact on skiers and snowboarders in their decision to wear a helmet: • Promotion of safety while wearing a helmet • Parents and children wearing helmets together • Presentation of statistics • Education about injuries that helmets cannot prevent • Endorsement of helmets from high profile celebrities and athletes Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 28 PART I ENDNOTES 1 E. John B. Allen, From Skisport to Skiing (Amherst, Mass: University of Massachusetts, 1993) 11. 2 Allen 75-81. 3 Hudson 10-11. 4 Susanna Howe, (Sick) A Cultural History of Snowboarding (New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1998) 6. 5 Hudson 14. 6 Simon Hudson, Snow Business: A Study of the International Ski Industry (London: Cassell, 2000) 64. 7 Hudson 65. p National Ski Areas Association press release, "National Ski Areas Association Releases Final 2001-02 U.S. Skier/Snowboarder Visits" 5 Sept. 2002. 9 Jason Blevins, "Ski industry looks beyond white: Push for diversity called smart business," The Denver Post 15 Sept. 2002: Kl. 1 0 NSAA Safety Initiative 2002. 1 1 "Facts about Ski/Snowboard Safety," National Ski Areas Association 23 Jan. 2003. <http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa2002> 1 2 Bill Pennington, "Do's, Don'ts and Don't-You-Dares," The New York Times 17 Jan. 2002. 1 3 Larry Walsh, "The Call for Helmets Getting Louder," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 24 Jan. 1999: C14. 1 4 Deborah Frazier, "Ski Safety's A Matter of Brains," Rocky Mountain News (Denver): 12 Mar. 2001, page 7A. 1 5 Jim Isham and Grace Lichtenstein, "Backtalk: Helmets Do Not Make the Ski Slopes Safer," The New York Times 19 Jan. 2003: Sec. 8, page 11. 1 6 Colin Hupp, "Ski helmets - Not just for the terrain park," Tahoe Daily Tribune 16 Jan. 2003. 1 7 Michael Janofsky, "Record Colorado Ski Deaths Prompt Calls for Helmets," The New York Times 31 Mar. 2002: Sec. 1, page 18. 1 8 Tom Boyd, "A Head for the Sport; Some Resorts Require Helmets for Certain Youths," Rocky Mountain News (Denver): 11 Dec. 2002:16C. 1 9 Forty minute observation from 10:20 a.m.-ll:20 a.m. at Chair 6 - Comice Express at Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Kirkwood, CA on February 15, 2003. 2 0 Forty minute observation from 12:10 p.m.-12:50 p.m. at Chair 7 - Hole 'N Wall at Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Kirkwood, CA on February 15, 2003. 2 1 Thirty minute observation from 1:00 p.m.-l:30 p.m. at Chair 10 - The Wall at Kirkwood Mountain Resort, Kirkwood, CA on February 15, 2003. 2 2 Jim Hughes, "Headfirst Helmets gaining a sound footing on state's slopes," The Denver Post 6 Feb. 2000: Al. 2 3 Matt Zalaznick, "Taking safety head-on," Vail Daily. 21 Jan. 2003. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 29 2 4 John Jurgensen, "Rising Popularity of Ski Helmets a Mixed Blessing," The Hartford Courant 14 Jan. 2003: F2. 2 5 Ross McKeon, "Fans get 1s t look at new netting; Teen's Death spurred NHL rule," The San Francisco Chronicle 24 Sept. 2002: C2. 2 6 Diane Lore, "Playing it Safe," Atlanta loumal-Constitution 18 Apr. 2000:1C. 2 7 Jerry Crowe, "Easy on the Eyes," Los Angeles Times 11 Feb. 2003: D5. 2 8 Taken from National Ski Areas Association "Heads Up" campaign source book (2000). Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 30 PART II PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAM Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 31 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The goal of this public relations plan is to encourage skiers and snowboarders - specifically parents and their children - to wear a helmet for safety without jeopardizing participation in the sport. However, the campaign should not be seen as a push toward regulating helmet use; rather as another choice for skiers and snowboarders to better protect them from injury while enjoying a day on the mountain. Measurable objectives to attaining this goal include: • Decrease major head injuries from skiing/snowboarding accidents by 15% in the two years of the program • Increase awareness of helmet safety by 20% in the two years of the program • Attain 75% helmet usage by children within three years • Attain 60% helmet usage by adults within three years • Increase number of resorts requiring helmets for children's ski school by 50% in the two years of the program • Attain helmet usage in 100% of all ski and snowboard instructors by the end of the program Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 32 KEY AUDIENCES To successfully implement this campaign, it is important for it to reach a variety of audiences. However, choosing messages for every segment of the audience may cause some messages to be lost. Therefore this campaign will focus upon the following: (All are assumed to be skiers and snowboarders at various levels.) Parents Children under 12 Youth/Young adults ages 12-24 Terrain Park Guests Ski area employees Safety equipment manufacturers Local and National Media Members of ski industry associations - NSAA, PSIA, SIA, NSP (includes ski and snowboard instructors) National Safety Council US Ski and Snowboard Team Opponents of helmets Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 33 KEY MESSAGES Messages to each audience will be slightly different, but will all center on the key message of this campaign: W earing a helm et is a smart choice. This message encompasses that helmets are a choice, not a law, giving the public the opportunity to say no if they feel it isn't for them. However, word play in the message is important. By using the w ord "smart," the campaign helps to tell them that they are making a wise decision when wearing a helmet. Using "choice" as a part of the message also communicates to skiers and snowboarders that wearing a helmet is not a requirement, but their own choice. Audience-specific messages also will be a part of the campaign, with the greatest focus placed on both children and parents. Since many habits formed in childhood translate to the same habits as adults, a message that gives children an incentive to wear a helmet is important. Therefore, by playing up the "coolness" factor of wearing helmets, should get them to put one on. Parents: Be a role model to your children; wear a helmet. It is important to stress to parents that it is easier to put a helmet on their kid if the parent is wearing one as well. This tactic also helps to form a lifetime habit among kids, which will gradually lower the stigma of wearing a helmet. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 34 Children: It's cool to wear a helmet and be safe. It is important to make the message to kids as simple as possible, while also making it something that they can share with their peers and their parents. Youth and Young Adults: Helmets can save your head when you slip in the park or on the slopes. Since this group is known for forging its own paths, but is also very influenced by peer behavior, it is important to make people this age aware of the injury statistics, while also emphasizing the style and individuality that a helmet can add to one's ski personality. However, since demographics show that these age groups are more likely to be snowboarders, and therefore more likely to suffer twice the injuries as their skiing counterparts, it is important to stress complete on- mountain safety. Terrain Park Guests: Wearing a helmet may not make you jump higher in the pipe, but it can save your life. With the proliferation of terrain parks and half pipes at ski areas, it is extremely important for the message of safety and the prevention of head injuries by wearing a helmet to reach "regulars." High-risk activities are routinely practiced in these parks, resulting in falls that can send a skier or snowboarder into an object or onto his/her head. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 35 Opponents: The following matrix examines the traditional helm et objections w ith counterarguments. Opponents Proponents Too expensive To invest in a helmet is to invest in your life. The small amount of money that you are spending on a helmet will make all the difference should you have an injury where medical attention is needed. Too warm/ Can't feel the wind in my hair Helmets are now made with vents and removable flaps and liners, so on warm days you can take out the liners and enjoy the fresh air. Can't hear very well Advances in helmets have made the ear flaps thinner and easier to hear through unlike the muffled helmets of the past. Plus, the flaps can be removed at any moment. "They're totally un-cool!" Helmets are the ultimate fashion statement. They come in several colors, can be decorated with stickers and can even be covered with fake fur. Your helmet is a way to express your individuality - and your commitment to safety - on the slopes. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 36 Opponents Proponents Celebrities don't wear them; why should I? Members of the US Ski and Snowboard Team are required to wear helmets when competing, and also choose to when they are free-skiing. Many celebrities are now wearing helmets because of the safety they provide from some ski and snowboard injuries. They don't protect me from every fall Only you can protect yourself. By educating yourself about the dangers of skiing/riding and taking every precaution to prevent injury (e.g., wearing a helmet, not skiing/riding too fast), you will have armed yourself with the knowledge necessary to prevent injury. I should be able to decide if a helmet is right for me. I don't want someone telling me to wear one. Wearing a helmet is your choice. We are simply giving you the information and education necessary to make the decision that is right for you. Ski Area Employees/Ski Industry Associations: Be a role model to guests. When working in the ski industry, it is important to understand the latest trends in the sport and educate guests accordingly. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 37 Helmet Manufacturers: We thank you for your continued support of programs to promote ski safety. W ithout the support of helmet manufacturers, it would not be possible to run a campaign that is beneficial to guests. Local/National Media: Wearing helmets for safety is an important initiative that the skiers/snowboarders need to know about. By promoting helmet safety, you are assisting to promote complete ski and snowboard safety. US Ski and Snowboard Team: You are an important part to this campaign as kids and adults look up to you as role models. By promoting helmet safety, you are showing them that there are more important things in skiing and snowboarding than winning a medal - staying safe. STRATEGIES AND TACTICS Strategy • Aggressive media relations to snowsports industry media Tactics • Target snow sports industry publications such as SKI, Skiing, Powder, TransWorld Snowboarding for placement of articles pertaining to the pros of helmet use. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 38 • Placement of US Ski and Snowboard Team athletes as spokespeople on Resort Sports Network (RSN), ESPN X Games, network World Cup coverage. • Educate national media with high profile athlete appearances on network and cable morning shows ("Today Show", "Good Morning America", "CNN's American Morning") to demonstrate proper helmet use, pros and cons of using a helmet and the variety of helmets available. • Educate local media (specifically in resort towns and large metro centers close to ski and snowboard areas) by appearing on morning shows. • Invite media to regional resorts for safety training "test runs," similar to events held by car manufacturers for the automotive media. Strategy • Helmet awareness campaign with celebrities and high profile athletes Tactics • Produce public service announcements showing parents and children with helmets. Choose high-profile celebrities and athletes from the US Ski and Snowboard Team, along with their children (or parents), to emphasize that wearing a helmet is the smart thing to do to save oneself from head injuries. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 39 • Produce posters with celebrities and athletes to be displayed at ski areas and in ski shop where helmets are sold. • Select a high profile athlete or celebrity to serve as a spokesperson for network and cable appearances. • Invite athletes and celebrities to on-mountain safety clinics. Provide guest photo-ops with celebrities while both are wearing helmets for a unique memento. Strategy • Grassroots campaign promoting ski and snowboard safety in ski and board schools. Tactics • Create a helmet safety logo for use in all educational materials and resort banners. • Designate employees of ski areas as "Safety Ambassadors" by completing voluntary safety training (ski patrollers, marketing department employees, guest relations employees, ski and board school directors, etc.). Encourage ski and snowboard instructors at all resorts to complete a two-hour safety course led by a "Safety Ambassador." This will encompass all safety aspects, not just helmets. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 40 • Design safety awareness curriculum to attain levels of PSIA certification • Encourage all ski and board school instructors to be a role model in safety to their students by wearing a helmet in all lessons - especially beginner lessons where a helmet can be most beneficial. • Create safety educational materials for all guests who take a lesson in the ski and board school. • Incorporate special events specifically about helmet use during National Ski and Snowboard Safety Awareness Week. • Allow time for safety briefings by ski patrol in all lessons. • Encourage resort executives to include helmets in the first-time beginner packages (lift ticket, lesson, rentals, helmet). For children's lessons, helmets should be included in all ski school packages (or mandatory for those with own equipment). • Educate organized school groups with a special pre-trip safety lesson in the classroom. EVALUATION There are two avenues to take when evaluating this campaign: Awareness and Attitude/Behavioral Change. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 41 Awareness How has this program raised awareness of helmet safety? The following are tactics to use in evaluating the overall awareness of the campaign: • Examine clips from newspapers, magazines and other publications for content quality. • Calculate number of times athlete/celebrity spokesperson is visible on targeted shows, and if there is carry-over to other shows as well. • For national television morning show appearances, take note of length of appearance and time of placement in the show. Also, evaluate if hosts referenced helmet safety during the show. • Examine the amount of media covering the "test runs" of helmets in relation to the population size of the surrounding metro areas. In addition, quantify the number of media hits immediately following the "test runs," or hits that are a direct descendant of the events. • Create consumer awareness surveys to be administered at ski areas throughout each of the two seasons to gauge effectiveness of media coverage and program implementation at resorts. • Create media analysis reports of all clippings and electronic media hits throughout campaign. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 42 Attitude/Behavioral Change It is not enough to be sure that consumers are simply aware of helmet safety, complete effectiveness of the campaign hinges upon consumers changing their behavior and actually wearing the helmets as a safety precaution. • Create benchmark sales figures at beginning of program. Continue examining sales patterns throughout remainder of program. • Sample skiers/snowboarders a set times throughout the season at consistent areas of the resort. For example, calculate the number of skiers/snowboarders wearing or not wearing helmets from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at a specified chairlift on the first Saturday of each month. • Record spikes in helmet purchases at ski shops on-mountain and in surrounding areas after celebrity clinics and Safety Awareness Week. Take note of helmet purchases by customers who have recently completed a ski/board lesson, which then indicates effectiveness of the campaign to the ski school instructor. • Examine the implementation of the program in ski and snowboard schools throughout the United States. Compare the number of ski and snowboard schools that require (or highly encourage) helmet usage at the outset of the program with the number that do at the completion of the program. This Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 43 also includes ski and snowboard schools that begin to include helmets as part of the rental package. • Observe if ski and snowboard instructors are wearing helmets. CONCLUSION The purpose of this campaign is unlike that of previous seat belt and bicycle helmet campaigns, which was to make compliance a law. Research showed that skiers and snowboarders want the choice of wearing a helmet or not, rather than to be told to do so. However, with the high profile deaths of Rep. Sonny Bono and of Michael Kennedy, as well as of a five-year old girl in ski school, the issue of whether or not a helmet will provide adequate protection in a fall has been brought to the forefront. Helmets should not be a required piece of equipment. There currently is no law requiring helmet use; however, it is important for skiers and snowboarders to be educated on helmet benefits. It is also important for the ski industry to take responsibility for informing the public of their choice to wear a helmet. Through this program, skiers and snowboarders will be better educated to make their choice as to whether or not they want to make the choice to wear a helmet. Ultimately, it is their choice. Hopefully, this campaign will encourage them to do so. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 44 PART III APPENDIX Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 45 Helmet Safety Campaign Timeline - Year 1 YEAR 1 Tactics Long Lead Publications Media Events Ski School Promotions Industry-Wide Safety Programs Athlete/Celebrity Appearances Production/Distribution of Educational Materials Produce PSA Create Logo and Collateral Materials Ski Industry Training Measure Helmet Usage Consumer Awareness Survey #1 Create Media Hit Report for Year 1 t Oct May JuneJul Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Helmet Safety Timeline - Year 2 YEAR 2 Tactics Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Long Lead Publications Media Events Ski School Promotions Industry-Wide Safety Programs Athlete/Celebrity Appearances Distribute Updated Educational Materials Produce Updated PSA Produce and Distribute Year 1 Report and Updated Materials to Media Ski Industry Re- Training Measure Helmet Usage Consumer Awareness Survey #2 Create Media Hit Report for Year 2 Produce Final Program Evaluation Report Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 47 Bibliography Allen, E. John B. From Skisport to Skiing: One Hundred Years of American Sport. 19840-1940. Amherst, Mass.: University of Massachusetts Press, 1993. "Athlete's Wear 'Em - Maryland Volunteer Helmet Use Campaign." Public Relations Society of America. 24 Jan. 2003. <http://www.prsa.org/ awards/silver/html/6bw8204c.html>. Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute. Nov. 2002. 23 Jan. 2002. <http://www.helmets.org/manddate.htm>. Blevins, Jason. "Colo, leads way in helmet rules for ski-schoolers; 3 state resorts first to mandate use." The Denver Post 7 Oct. 2002,1s t ed.: El. Blevins, Jason. "Ski industry looks beyond white: Push for diversity called smart business." The Denver Post 15 Sept. 2002: Kl. Boyd, Tom. "A Head for the Sport; Some Resorts Require Helmets for Certain Youth." Rocky Mountain News (Denver’ ) 11 Dec. 2002, final ed.: 16C. Carroll, Matt. "A rhubarb over soft-core ball; Some cite safety, others say it really isn't baseball." The Boston Globe 1 June 1997, city ed.: 15. "Click It or Tickets." Public Relations Society of America. 24 Jan. 2003. <http://www.prsa.org/ awards/silver/html/6bw8705d.html>. Clifford, Hal. Downhill Slide. San Francisco: Sierra Club, 2002. Cutts, Joe. "Child's Death Prompts Mandatory Ski Helmets." The New York Times 14 Apr. 2002, late ed. final: sec. 5, 3. Frazier, Deborah. "Ski Safety's a Matter of Brains." Rocky Mountain News (Denver! 12 Mar. 2001, final ed.: 7A. Holdorf, William. "Repeal Seat Belt Laws." Lew Rockwell.com. 24 Jan. 2003. <http://www.lewrockwelLcom/orig3/holdorfl.html>. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 48 Howe, Susanna. fSick- ) A Cultural History of Snowboarding. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1998. Hudson, Simon. Snow Business: A Study of the International Ski Industry. London, Eng.: Cassell, 2000. Hughes, Jim. "Experts say sport helmet must fit properly to be safe." The Denver Post 6 Feb. 2000, 2n d ed.: A29. Hughes, Jim. "Headfirst: Helmets gaining a sound footing on state's slopes." The Denver Post 6 Feb. 2000, 2n d ed.: A l. Janofsky, Michael. "Record Colorado Ski Deaths Prompt Calls for Helmets." The New York Times 31 Mar. 2002, late ed. final: sec. 1,18. Jurgensen, John. "Rising Popularity of Ski Helmets a Mixed Blessing." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 14 Jan. 2003, Sooner ed.: F2. Lichtenstein, Grace and Isham, Jim. "Backtalk: Helmets Do Not Make the Ski Slopes Safer." The New York Times 19 Jan. 2003, late ed. final: sec. 8,11. Lids on Kids Site. 23 Jan. 2003. <http://www.lidsonkids.org>. Lore, Diane. "Playing it Safe." The Atlanta Tournal-Constitution 18 Apr. 2000, home ed.: 1C. McKeon, Ross. "Fans get 1s t look at new netting; Teen's death spurred NHL rule." The San Francisco Chronicle 24 Sept. 2002, final ed.:C2. "National Safety Belt Campaign." Public Relations Society of America. 24 Jan. 2003. <http://www.prsa.org/ awards/silver/html/8806d.html>. National Ski Areas Association. "Safety Initiative 2000 Source Book." 15 Sep. 1999. NSAA Safety Initiative: National Safety Awareness Week. 23 Jan. 2003. <http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa20Q2/ safetv.asp>. Ogintz, Eileen. "It's Time to Say: 'No Helmet, No Lift Ticket'." The New York Times 1 Dec. 2002: E15. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 49 Ogintz, Eileen. "Ski Resorts Crack Down on Speeding on the Slopes." The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) 23 Jan. 2000: 8J. Pennington, Bill. "With Helmets, Fashion is a Slave to Safety." The New York Times 9 Jan. 2003, late ed. final: sec. D, 5. Schrader, Ann. "Doctors push ski helmets; W ithout headgear, it's a slippery slope." The Denver Post 27 Nov. 1999, 2n d ed.: Bl. Schwartz, Susan. "Riding at their own risk: As snowboard injuries to children increase, parents, health workers appeal for safety first on the slippery slopes." The Gazette (Montreal) 22 Feb. 1999, final ed.: El. SkiHelmets.com. 23 Jan. 2003. <http://www.skihelmets.com>. Thomas, Doug. "Lifesaving Slogan: Use Your Head, Wear Helmet." Omaha World- Herald 17 Apr. 2000:29. United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 1998 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey. 1999. 24 Jan. 2003. <http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov>. United States. National Safety Council. The Evidence is in: Adults Who Don't Buckle Up Have a Dangerous Impact on Children's Safety. 13 Nov. 2002. 24 Jan. 2003. <http://www.nsc.org/partners/statesrch.htm>. Walsh, Larry. "The Call for Helmets Getting Louder." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 24 Jan. 1999, two star ed.: C14. "We Wear 'Em - A Voluntary Helmet Use Campaign." Public Relations Society of America. 24 Jan. 2003. <http://www.prsa.org/ awards/silver/html/6bw8104d.html>. Wright, Leslie. "Ski resorts looking to build base; Lack of growth forces businesses to search for new customer base." The Times Union (Albany. NY1 2 Jan. 2003, three star ed.: C5. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Norris, Jennifer Lynne (author)

Core Title Helmets: The safe choice. A study on the benefits of helmet safety while skiing and/or snowboarding: A public relations program to encourage helmet use

School Graduate School

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag business administration, marketing,health sciences, public health,journalism,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Advisor Floto, Jennifer (committee chair), [illegible] (committee member)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c16-305735

Unique identifier UC11342227

Identifier 1416570.pdf (filename),usctheses-c16-305735 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier 1416570.pdf

Dmrecord 305735

Document Type Thesis

Rights Norris, Jennifer Lynne

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA