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"If you live in one of the Eastern cities that got pounded by snow over the past 24 hours (20 inches fell in New York City!), you may find yourself with a free day today to play in the snow. So, who&amp;#039;s up for some sledding? If you&amp;#039;re heading out to hit the hills with your kids, its a good idea to learn some safety measures first. According to a study from Nationwide Children&amp;#039;s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, more than 20,000 children go to the ER every year because of a sledding injury. Yikes! The study author shared some great tips in this article written by Barbara that I think are worth repeating on a day like today: 1. Scope out the route. Ideally, it&amp;#039;s free of obstacles like trees, light poles and fences, and not in the street. Also make sure there&amp;#039;s ample room at the bottom of a hill to slow down and stop without hitting anything or ending up in the street. 2. Don&amp;#039;t add power. Hitching a sled to a motorized vehicle\u2014whether it&amp;#039;s a car, ATV or lawn mower\u2014increases the likelihood of injury because kids could get pulled under the wheels of the vehicle. 3. Skip the snow tubes and disks. These tend to be more dangerous than traditional sleds because they rotate, so you could end up riding backward with no way to change course if you&amp;#039;re headed for a collision. 4. Don&amp;#039;t overload it. Unless a sled is designed for two or more people (read the manufacturer&amp;#039;s instructions), squeezing in extra passengers can make it harder to maneuver. More riders also means there&amp;#039;s a greater chance that someone will get knocked off the sled. 5. Consider a skiing or snowboarding helmet. Hands down, it&amp;#039;s the best way to prevent concussions and other head injuries. Have fun and be safe! \u2013 Abby Cuffey, Associate Health Editor "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/a45303/snow-day-1058/>