If you’ve ever tried snowboarding for the first time and inched your way towards the bunny slope only to topple over and bang your head against the packed snow, you know that helmets are probably a smart piece of equipment to don on the mountain – especially when tackling runs a little more advanced than beginner.

To ensure the safety of its winter sports enthusiasts, the Canadian province of Nova Scotia has instituted a new helmet law that took effect on Nov. 1 this year. The Snow Sport Helmet act, passed in the legislature last December, requires skiers and snowboarders of all ages to don a helmet before hitting the slopes. Violators are subject to a $250 fine.

Though a lot of skiers and boarders in the province have been wearing helmets for years, eleven have suffered traumatic brain injuries since 2000 because they went without a protective helmet. So the government decided to make them mandatory. Though ski hill operators and ski patrol volunteers won’t be required to enforce the law, signs are posted at all ski resorts as part of the legislation. Provincial “enforcement officers” are also required to visit if someone fails to wear a helmet.

Many winter activities and sports have a tendency to lead to dangerous falls and accidents, and some of them can be nasty. When you’re sans helmet, the consequences can be life-altering. Hopefully other ski and snowboarding areas will follow Nova Scotia’s precedent, but in the meantime, strap a helmet on when you go out there this winter.

It’s what a real Adrenalist would do.

Cover Photo Credit: globalite – flickr.com