Staying Healthy in the Snow
There’s no doubt whilst snow can be beautiful and picturesque, it also brings travel chaos and lots of disruption. If you have been unfortunate enough to have been affected then try to stay as calm as possible and listen to all the emergency safety advice, including from your local weather and news channels. If the worst is now over, maybe think about what you could have done differently and try to take the positives and learn from what’s happened.
It’s not just motorists that need to take care – it’s crucial for pedestrians to be aware of how to stay safe and healthy in this weather, and in particular how to walk in the snow. It’s great to go out, be active and have fun as well as helping to reduce stress, but a large number of accidents in the snow actually happen due to people slipping.
Remember snow can also be fun. Playing outside in the snow is great exercise and can burn up to 500 calories an hour. So wrap up warm and enjoy building a snowman, sledging or a safe snowy trek. It’s a great way to switch off from work and whether you'd prefer to spend the day outside or curled up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate, enjoying yourself for a day is a boost to your health.
It’s not just motorists that need to take care – it’s crucial for pedestrians to be aware of how to stay safe and healthy in this weather, and in particular how to walk in the snow. It’s great to go out, be active and have fun as well as helping to reduce stress, but a large number of accidents in the snow actually happen due to people slipping.
- Plan ahead and give yourself extra time - wear the right footwear. Choose shoes that are made of rubber and neoprene composite over plastic and leather soles as they’ll provide better traction
- Take short steps, even waddle like a penguin. Keep your knees loose, extend your arms to the side to keep your balance and point the feet out slightly just like a penguin
- If you do fall, bend your back and head forward so you avoid hitting your head on the floor
- Pavements and roads will be extremely slippery so take care getting in and out of cars and up and down stairs
- Don’t text while walking. If your eyes are on your phone, you might miss an extremely icy patch and slip and fall
- It also helps keeping your hands out of your pockets, so if you do slip, there’s more chance of you saving yourself
- Minimise what you carry. Walking on ice is all about balance, so holding loads of bags will change your sense of balance and will affect the way you walk
Remember snow can also be fun. Playing outside in the snow is great exercise and can burn up to 500 calories an hour. So wrap up warm and enjoy building a snowman, sledging or a safe snowy trek. It’s a great way to switch off from work and whether you'd prefer to spend the day outside or curled up with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate, enjoying yourself for a day is a boost to your health.
The contents of this page are for reference purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Independent legal advice should be sought in relation to any specific legal matter.