Snow days conjure up images of children building snowmen, snow forts and snow angels, followed by hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows. But one childhood tradition could soon be only a pleasant memory as more and more municipalities begin instituting sledding bans because of some recent judgments requiring million-dollar payouts to injured sledders. For example, the county council in Dubuque, Iowa is considering banning sledding in 48 of the city's 50 parks because of lawsuits brought against other cities.
A five-year-old girl in Omaha, Neb., was paralyzed when she hit a tree while sledding and the city found itself responsible for a $2 million judgment. A man in Sioux City, Iowa, hit a sign and injured his spinal cord, resulting in a $2.75 million payment. Following the blizzard in New England last week, a teen from Long Island was killed while sledding when he hit a light pole and injured his chest and ribs.
Since many municipalities are self-insured to a certain degree, these types of judgments are making authorities look for other ways to manage their risk. According to the Associated Press, communities in Iowa, New Jersey, Nebraska, Indiana and Illinois, are taking steps to restrict sledding on municipal properties.
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