Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They absolutely should. I have seen plenty of people fall on the ice and crack their skulls and have to be taken away in an ambulance.

You have seen this happen to "plenty" of people? Personally or on YouTube?

Yeah I don’t believe this. I am seriously tightly clenched when it comes to safety and even I am shocked by most of these responses. Equating the risk of skiing accidents where people are flying down a mountain running into trees to a 10 year old leisurely skating around a rink during an open skate time is just.. bananas. Wear helmets if you want, can’t hurt anything, but let’s be real about the difference in risk and choices here. Come on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They absolutely should. I have seen plenty of people fall on the ice and crack their skulls and have to be taken away in an ambulance.

Really? Plenty? I have four kids who play hockey and we are at the rink all the time for open skates and I have never seen this.

Real hockey players don't go to open skate.

My friend who is a lifelong skater, fell backwards at an ice rink which resulted in a severe concussion and the loss of her sense of smell and taste for 6 months. Helmets always!

If we make kids use helmets on bikes why wouldn't we want similar protection for other activities that are so obviously potential risks for head injury?

I know both a cyclist and a motorcyclist whose lives probably were saved by their helmets. Not just their opinions--doctors told both that without helmets they might have had grave head injuries. Both highly experienced, safety-conscious riders on excellently maintained vehicles but who still needed those helmets in the split second something went wrong.

Before someone says, but riding is different! Other drivers/riders are hazards skaters don't encounter! ...Both accidents were solo accidents, no one else involved. And if you think that even experienced skaters or skiers never collide with anyone or anything, well, you're not paying attention.

A fall happens SO fast, whether it's on skates, bikes, skis, motorcycles, skateboards, and whether there's a collision with someone else or a solo slip and fall. Ice is as hard as concrete; an unprotected skull won't feel any difference. The idea that some activities (ice skating, skiing) are just not "helmet sports" is just ignoring the fact that you simply cannot predict an accident.

Sure, it might never happen. But if it does, it only takes ONE fall or one collision for a single blow that could alter a life.

For all of you who thinks that in your wise decision that it is not necessary to wear a helmet while ice skating , you’ll learn the hard way that anything can happen on the ice. The more you ice skate without a helmet the odds will catch up to you that you’ll suffer a head impact injury. The helmet can save your life or lessen the impact of a bad head injury. You only get one chance to make the right decision to wear a helmet for safety on the ice. If you decide not to wear a helmet you may never get the chance to wear one again i.e. you may suffer a permanent disabling injury and never get to ice skate again. Do the true wise thing , always wear a helmet while ice skating.

For those of you who think that it is not necessary to wear a helmet while ice skating you’ll learn the hard way after you or your child suffers a bad traumatic head injury. It is sad that people think that they can control the risks of life by always making excuses and the wrong decisions not based on facts but based on own personal ignorance and denial of risks. The best teacher is experience so live and learn unfortunately after a skater suffers a head impact injury it is too little too late to make excuses and wished that you or your child had worn a helmet.

We make our kid wear a helmet when she goes rollerblading. Seems to make sense that she has to wear one when she goes ice skating too.

I am Canadian, grew up on rinks.

Helmets are becoming more and more common, just like they have in biking and skiing.

All hockey players wear helmets and now all kids wear helmets in the learn to skate programs so I imagine over the next decade wearing a helmet to skate will just be part of what kids do. Speed skaters wear them as well.

Doubt figure skaters ever will given the artistic nature of the sport.

For just playing around on the rink, accidents are unlikely but could happen.

Teens will always push back on helmets or safety gear - no matter what sport.

Bike helmets aren't that much use for skating but better than nothing.

Anonymous wrote:They absolutely should. I have seen plenty of people fall on the ice and crack their skulls and have to be taken away in an ambulance.

You have seen this happen to "plenty" of people? Personally or on YouTube?

Otherwise they don't skate.