According to a survey* by the Finnish Road Safety Council, one in three Finns slipped last winter. Among those who slipped**, 43% reported injuries, and 7% required medical attention due to the accident.
The Finnish Workers' Compensation Center’s forecast for 2024 indicates an 8% increase in commuting accidents compared to 2023, totaling approximately 24,000 incidents. The majority of these accidents involve slips or falls.
– You can’t control the weather, but you can prepare yourself and adjust your actions. Avoiding haste by allowing more time for your journeys is key, advises Eero Kalmakoski, a contact manager at the Finnish Road Safety Council.
A brain injury caused by a commuting slip
Teacher Kati Veijonaho slipped six years ago in the yard of her workplace, hitting her head on the icy ground. The weather was wintry, with fresh snow covering packed snow and ice. The yard had not been sanded for over a week due to the school’s winter break.
A week after the accident, what initially seemed to be a concussion was diagnosed as a traumatic brain injury. Even six years later, Veijonaho’s daily life is affected by extreme fatigue and sensitivity to mental strain. Her brain also struggles to process visual and auditory input as it used to.
With the help of her husband, Veijonaho explains that medical professionals have deemed her permanently unfit for any work.
– Brain injuries often seem invisible, making it hard for others to understand why someone who appears healthy needs daily naps or tires and becomes overwhelmed easily. An invisible injury can limit one’s life far more than many visible injuries, she says.
Pia Kilpeläinen from the Traumatic Brain Injury Association of Finland praises Veijonaho for raising awareness about the issue.
– An estimated 36,000 Finns sustain a brain injury annually, and at least 100,000 live with its aftereffects. While exact numbers on brain injuries caused by slipping are unavailable, up to 60% result from falls or slips, Kilpeläinen confirms.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute issues warnings about highly slippery walking conditions
The Finnish Meteorological Institute warns about highly slippery walking conditions. The warning is called the pedestrian weather warning.
Highly slippery conditions occur when:
- there is snow on top of ice
- there is water on top of ice
- snow has been packed and turned slippery after heavy snowfall, with temperatures
- around freezing or slightly below
- slush has frozen into an uneven and very slippery surface.
– Under extremely slippery conditions, caution alone isn’t enough—you need proper footwear and aids such as anti-slip devices. Slipping can catch you off guard, especially if you’re distracted by e.g. looking at your phone while walking, explains Sari Hartonen, senior meteorologist at the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
Current warnings can be checked on the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s website and on the weather app. It’s important to note that conditions can vary locally due to factors such as maintenance quality and pedestrian traffic in the area. However, warnings are only issued for widespread, extremely slippery situations.
Seven ways to avoid slipping and falling
- Check the pedestrian weather warning.
- Wear shoes that are suitable for the weather conditions.
- Use anti-slip guards.
- Make time for commuting.
- Focus on walking.
- Give feedback to maintenance.
- Stay in shape and keep alert.
The Stay on Your Feet campaign runs 13–19 January 2025. The objective of the campaign is to remind you that you can reduce slipping and falling accidents through your own actions and choices. By anticipating and preparing, getting around in winter can be smooth sailing. Watch Stay on Your Feet videos on YouTube.
*The Finnish Road Safety Council surveyed Finns' thoughts on traffic in April 2024. The survey, conducted by Norstat Oy, included 2,015 respondents.
**673 respondents reported slipping.
Further information
- Pia Kilpeläinen, Editor-in-Chief and Communications Manager, The Traumatic Brain Injury Association of Finland, +358 (0)50 306 7916, pia.kilpelainen [at] aivovammaliitto.fi (pia[dot]kilpelainen[at]aivovammaliitto[dot]fi)
- Sari Hartonen, Senior Meteorologist, Finnish Meteorological Institute, +358 (0)29 539 3444, sari.hartonen [at] fmi.fi (sari[dot]hartonen[at]fmi[dot]fi)
- Eero Kalmakoski, Contact Manager, Finnish Road Safety Council, +358 (0)20 7282 380, eero.kalmakoski [at] liikenneturva.fi (eero[dot]kalmakoski[at]liikenneturva[dot]fi)
- About the campaign: Anna Ranta, Health Promotion Planning Officer, Finnish Red Cross +358 (0)40 480 6973, anna.ranta [at] redcross.fi (anna[dot]ranta[at]redcross[dot]fi)
Learn more
- Stay on Your Feet Campaign: Pysy pystyssä -kampanja on käynnissä (in Finnish)
- Stay on Your Feet videos on YouTube: Pysy pystyssä - YouTube
- Kotitapaturma's Facebook
- Kotitapaturma's X
- Take the Stay On Your Feet -test: Pysy pystyssä -testi 2025 - Kotitapaturma.fi (in Finnish)
- Finnish Meteorological Institute: Jalankulkusää (in Finnish)
Campaign partners: The Traumatic Brain Injury Association of Finland, EHYT Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention, Finance Finland, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities, the Finnish Road Safety Council, Luustoliitto, LähiTapiola, Nikander and Wiinikka Oy, Partioaitta, the Finnish Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Red Cross, Taitavat Suutarit ry, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.
