Cold, ice and snow safety

Winter isn't a time to just stay indoors and wait for spring. There's a whole wonderland of sports out there for the entire family - sledding, snowmobiling, and snowboarding, to mention a few. Plus, someone has to shovel the snow, right?Once outdoors, however, you may need to take extra steps to keep your family safe in the cold. In ice and snow, accidents can occur easily, and before you know it, you may be on your way to the emergency room.There are ways to keep safe - and stay fit - during the cold months. By following a few tips, you can have a great time, no matter how much white stuff piles up outside.Why Is It Important to Be Safe in the Cold?Certain injuries are more common in the winter because of special cold-weather activities. Activities like ice-skating, sledding, snowboarding, and skiing lead to the most accidents and injuries in the winter, and often it's children who get hurt. Now that snowboarding is drawing more kids out in the cold weather, emergency rooms are seeing more abdominal, head, and neck injuries in those who run into trees or large rocks while snowboarding.It's not just winter sports that send people to the hospital or a doctor's office. Certain illnesses are more common when the seasons change. Respiratory illnesses, especially viruses like the flu, are particularly prevalent during this time of year. That's because everyone spends more time indoors in chilly weather, exposing themselves to more germs in the air.