Safety, rules & conduct on the slopes

Safe skiing in accordance with the slope rules combines control with consideration: adjusting your speed and line to your ability, visibility and traffic gives others room and helps you respond to changing conditions.

Skifahrer fährt einen verschneiten Hang hinab

Skifahrer in pinker Jacke und orangefarbener Mütze fährt einen verschneiten Hang hinab. Photo: Olga Buko

Key facts

You must be able to control your speed.
If you are coming from behind, choose a line that does not put others at risk.
When overtaking, leave enough room for the person being overtaken to move.
Before entering a run or setting off again, look uphill and downhill.
Narrow sections and areas with limited visibility are not places to stop.
After an accident, you must help without putting yourself in danger.

Consideration and choice of line

The FIS rules require skiers to adapt their speed to their ability, the terrain, snow, weather and traffic. Anyone coming from behind must choose a line that does not endanger people skiing ahead. Overtaking is permitted on either side, provided there is enough room for the person being overtaken to move voluntarily or involuntarily. Before entering a run or setting off again after stopping, check the slope uphill and downhill to make sure no one is put at risk. Unless there is a compelling reason, do not stop in narrow sections or where visibility is limited; after a fall in such a place, clear the slope as quickly as possible.

Markers and terrain boundaries

Slope markers show the route and difficulty level of open runs. Pay attention to closures and barriers. A groomed run, or one that looks accessible, is not automatically open. Secured ski areas differ from off-piste terrain in terms of safety measures and avalanche risk. When preparing to ski off-piste, take avalanche danger and planning as well as the snowpack structure into account.

Helping after an accident

Under the FIS rules, skiers are required to assist after a ski accident. The first priority when responding to a ski accident is your own safety. If it is safe to do so, mark the location and warn other slope users. When calling the ski patrol or slope rescue service, give useful location details such as the ski area, the run and nearby landmarks. When skiing with children, choose easy-to-follow runs and agree on meeting points.

Avalanche Snow and Snowpack Structure

Avalanche snow and snowpack structure: Weak layers, wind and weather affect conditions off-piste. Current regional avalanche bulletins, local warnings and appropriate training are essential when preparing for a backcountry tour.

Away from the piste

Away from marked pistes, regional avalanche information, terrain, weather and the group’s experience all matter. Preparation includes tour planning and an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel. Reassess local conditions throughout the day and turn back if in doubt.

FIS Rules on the Slopes

The ten FIS Rules of Conduct apply to skiers and snowboarders: adjust your speed, choose a safe route, leave room when overtaking and show consideration when entering a slope. They also cover stopping where you can be seen, observing signs, and helping and exchanging personal details after accidents.

How to overtake, merge and stop safely

Leave enough space when overtaking, check both directions before merging, and stop only where you are clearly visible. This helps prevent common conflicts on the slopes and gives other skiers room to react.

Piste markings and difficulty ratings

Piste markings and colours help you find your way. Learn how ratings vary between ski areas, what piste maps and signs show, and why closures, visibility and current snow conditions matter when choosing a run.

Ski Accident

Ski accident: secure the scene, call for help and provide appropriate support to injured people. In Germany, call 112. If someone is unconscious, check their breathing: use the recovery position if they are breathing normally, and start CPR if they are not breathing normally.

Ski Patrol

Ski patrol helps with accidents at ski areas. Precise location details, clear access to the accident scene and appropriate first aid make rescue easier. Find out how emergency calls, securing the scene and consideration for rescue personnel work together.

Ski Touring on Groomed Slopes

Plan the ascent, route and return around local access rules. On shared slopes, tourers climb single file near the edge; avalanche hazards in adjacent terrain need separate assessment.

Skiing with Children on the Slopes

When skiing with children, choosing suitable runs, agreeing on clear meeting points, and taking breaks all matter. Plan your pace, routes back, and group agreements together so that even the youngest or least confident member of the group can manage the chosen run in control.

What to Do in a Ski Accident

In ski accidents, the priorities are protecting yourself, securing the scene, providing first aid and giving precise information when calling for help. The local piste rescue service coordinates assistance. In Switzerland, Rega recommends calling 1414 directly in the event of an immediate threat to life or an avalanche accident.