Our first snow of the season came and went at about the same speed. But though the drifts have mostly melted away, winter started Sunday and soon the sleds, snowboards, snow tubes and disks will be coming out of the garage or down the chimney in Santa’s bag. Sadly, about 35,000 children age 14 and under are seriously injured each year in sledding accidents. There are no driver education programs, permits or licensing requirements for sledders, so it’s up to us to teach our kids how to stay safe in the snow.

As a first step, steer your children away from dangerously steep areas, especially where there are obstructions (trees, rocks, fences) along the way or at the bottom of a hill. Most serious sledding injuries occur from collisions with objects or other sledders.

Do not allow kids to sled down hills ending on traveled roads. Many serious injuries and deaths occur when out-of-control or inattentive sledders are struck by passing cars. A large percentage of sledding accidents happen at the end of the family driveway.

Snow tubes appear harmless because they are soft and seem as if they would protect a child from the jarring effect and sharp runners of sleds. But inflatable tubes are virtually impossible to steer to avoid obstructions.

Sleds with steering mechanisms are safer.

Children under 4 never should be allowed to sled without a parent along for the ride. Above that age, the steepness of the hill should guide whether children go down the hill alone.

Consider having your child wear a helmet for head protection, but do not let that become an excuse for recklessness. Don’t let even your older kids sled alone. Make sure they have a friend along so if one gets injured the other can go for help.

Keep kids away from crowded hills where crashes with others can occur, and don’t allow your children to sled after dark unless in a brightly lit area.

Do not let kids attempt jumps carrying them higher than four feet into the air (on powdery snow) or to sled jump onto packed snow or ice. Both can cause impact spinal cord injuries.

Dress your children to stay warm and dry, preferably in multiple layers and with special attention to hands and feet. Monitor weather forecasts for wind chill warnings.

Be aware that drinking and sledding is a growing problem among teenagers. Drunken sledders are much more likely to injure themselves or others.

Snowboarding is becoming more popular every year. Because the rider is standing up there is greater risk of injury from a fall. Don’t let your children sled where snowboarders are whizzing about any more than you would let them swim where motorboats and water skiers are speeding by.

If your child has a plastic sled such as a disk, a flat toboggan, or one that looks like a ski with a seat on it, check often for cracks or splits. Subzero temperatures can make the plastic brittle. When the plastic splits or breaks, it can become lethally sharp and slash or stab even through the leather of a boot.

Finally a word to protect little fort and igloo makers. Try as best you can to keep kids from tunneling. Snow roof cave-ins take many young lives each year by suffocation. And though they are incredibly tempting, never let your children build forts or igloos in roadside snowbanks pushed up by the plow. Hundreds of children are injured and killed each year by vehicles and snowplows that hit snowbank play areas.

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