Fairfield-Echo.com

SATURDAY, Dec. 27 (HealthDayNews) -- Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh can be downright dangerous.

So can skiing, skating or tobogganing. Every year, almost 200,000 Americans get seriously hurt while playing winter sports, and many of those injuries are to the head.

In children, more than half of all winter sports injuries are head injuries, according to the National Pediatric Trauma Registry (NPTR). And the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that almost 20,000 people receive head injuries every year while skiing.

So what's the best way to protect your noggin while you toboggan? A helmet.

The NPTR says none of the children who were treated for a head injury that occurred while sledding, skiing or ice skating were wearing helmets. Moreover, only about 10 percent of kids who got injured playing hockey were wearing the protective headgear.

The CPSC predicts that 7,700 head injuries could be prevented or reduced in in severity and 11 deaths could be prevented annually if people wore helmets while skiing and snowboarding.

Here are some other ideas from the NPTR to reduce head injuries while enjoying winter sports:

• Don't sled head first.
• Make sure children are big enough to hold on to moving sleds or tubes.
• Follow posted rules on the ski slope and choose trails that match your skill level.
• Avoid areas with rocks, trees or other hazards.
• Learn how to adjust your speed properly -- and teach your children to do the same.

More information

The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers these tips on staying safe during winter sports.