Traffic officers to monitor safety on ski slopes in N Italy

Traffic officers have been deployed on ski slopes in Piedmont, a region in northern Italy, to ensure order and safety for skiers, according to a statement Monday from the local government.

The police officers will monitor violations of order on ski slopes due to someone skiing in an improper way, and punish those responsible with fines, the Piedmont Region Department for Sports, Police, Personnel and Organization said.

Around 2.5 million skiers and some 4,000 first aid interventions were reported on Piedmont's ski slopes by local authorities during the 2013-2014 season.

Many casualties were reportedly caused by collisions between skiers which resulted in hundreds of people being hospitalized, of which some 150 were in serious condition.

Most of the accidents were caused by skiers and mountaineers skiing off piste.

Six people died in accidents during the current ski season in Piedmont, which runs from December 8 until end-March or early-April.

"Too many and serious accidents take place on our ski slopes, which risks to transform our leisure and sport hours into dangerous situations that can be avoided most of times," Piedmont Councillor for Sports, Police, Personnel and Organization Giovanni Maria Ferraris told Xinhua.

Ferraris stressed that the experimental initiative, which kicked off last weekend, was the first step of a large-scale plan.

"This project is only the beginning of an integrated and joint effort, which I hope will involve the largest number of players so that safety on ski slopes can be perceived by citizens as a reality," he added.

Training courses for ski area operators, workshops with police forces, strengthened communication services and collaboration with ski instructors are planned to further improve safety on ski slopes. Enditem