Hung-over skiers risk health on the slopes
Thousands of winter sports holidaymakers may be risking their health and safety and potentially invaliding their insurance by hitting the slopes the morning after a night of heavy drinking, when they may still be over the limit.
A new report by Post Office Travel Insurance has revealed that 80 per cent of winter sports holidaymakers drink on their holiday, with nearly a quarter (22 per cent) admitting to drinking heavily. In the report, skiers admitted to knocking back an average of 12 units of alcohol each night, four times the recommended daily allowance.
45 per cent of men drink between three-five pints in a typical night on a winter sports holiday, which is six-ten units. However, when it comes to the grape, women drink twice as much wine as men, with 21 per cent drinking three-four glasses (six-eight units) of wine compared to ten per cent of men. Men lead on the shots with 20 per cent drinking three or more shorts of neat spirits in a typical night, compared to 11 per cent of women.
39 per cent of holidaymakers admitted to having suffered with hangovers while on a ski or snowboarding holiday, stating that it takes on average five drinks to make them feel hung-over the next morning.
Medics estimate that it takes an hour to process each unit of alcohol meaning that those who are drinking 12 units each night and are getting up early in the morning could still have high amounts of alcohol in their system the next day. Boozy lunches which are common on ski holidays could also put holidaymakers at risk when they hit the slopes in the afternoon.
This not only increases the likelihood of accidents but if a patient is deemed by the treating doctor to have consumed excessive alcohol, this could also potentially invalidate the insurance cover - leaving the patient to pick up a hefty medical bill. Post Office Travel Insurance claims data from the last ski season revealed that 75 per cent of all winter sports insurance claims were for medical expenses,
Confusion surrounding the unit system appears to be part of the problem, with nearly half (41 per cent) of people stating they struggle to monitor the units that they consume.
Rachel Croft, Head of Post Office Travel Insurance said: "Most people wouldn’t dream of drinking and driving, but hitting a ski slope under the influence of alcohol can be just as dangerous. Like driving, we often neglect to think about the next day but as our research shows, when you look at how much alcohol people tend to consume in a night, many may still have high levels in their system the next day.
"Not only does this mean people are increasing their chance of having an accident, but they are also potentially invalidating their travel insurance cover which means they could be hit with a hefty medical bill. With medical costs associated with winter sports holidays often running into thousands of pounds, understanding the limitations of your insurance is crucial."
TV doctor, Dr David Bull explained: "It can take approximately an hour for you to burn off a unit of alcohol so those who are drinking 12 units at night could still have high amounts of alcohol in their system the following morning. Altitude can also mean you are likely to feel the impact of the alcohol more, increasing its effect.
"Alcohol impairs your reactions and reflexes which are vital for sports like skiing and snowboarding, so this is a serious health and safety issue. Even if you’re not technically over the limit, when you’re hung-over your body will still be slower to react so you are still putting yourself at increased risk."
For more information about Post Office Travel Insurance, visit postoffice.co.uk.