Reporting from the Alps, Russel Hayes looks at whether the industry is doing enough to control the risks.

There are no legally enforceable speed limits on the pistes yet.

But go too fast in a controlled area, and you may get pulled over all the same.

European resorts have had piste controllers for some time.

And as the slopes become more crowded, and accident victims more willing to sue, resorts are asking them to take a more active role.

Resorts have increased safety warnings

Odile Jacotot is one of those employed to try to help more people ski safely.

"It is like on the road, if you don't respect security on the road, you can have a big accident, and it's the same on the slopes," she said

However, unlike in North America, the European piste controllers have few powers, and are largely ignored.

John Kotke knows that only too well. He is an experienced skier, but last season he was left lying badly injured on the slopes after someone lost control at high speed, ran into him, and then skied off.

"I am surprised more people are not killed," he said.

"In North America they do enforce the slow areas heavily, which I think is a very good idea."

Part of the problem is that ever-bigger lifts are pouring more and more people onto the slopes.

John Kotke suffered serious injury

In Val d'Isere at the height of the season there can be 20,000 people skiing.

The injuries people are getting are also tending to be more serious.

Tears of the ligaments in the knee - which can take many months to heal - are now one of the most common type of injury.

They are caused by changes to the design of ski equipment.

Dr Michel Cuny, of the Val d'Isere surgery, said: "Twenty years ago we had a lot of broken legs, but now people twist their knee because ski boots are higher."

Manufacturers are aware of the problem, and have adopted new designs to try to minimise risk.

For instance, some boots are designed to come away from the ski in a twisting fall.

French doctors are now carrying out the first national study into equipment safety.

Its findings, due out soon, are likely to be controversial.

It is just part of the mounting pressure on the industry to do more to reduce skiing injuries.