blah.

so, according to [www.injury-study.org], the most common reasons for snowboard injuries are as follows:

Lack of necessary skills
Muscle fatigue,

Tiredness or sleepiness
Alcohol intoxication or a hangover
Poor visibility or blizzard conditions
Dull edges on hard snow conditions
Fear and anxiety
Snowboarding too fast, relative to your ability
Encountering moguls or small bumps
Hard, icy, and other poor snow conditions
Not wearing proper snowboard protection

this being said, ask yourself these questions; have you injured yourself before while boarding? are you prone to muscle fatigue? are you tired when you go snowboarding? etc ...

if you answered yes to these, or many other questions then you should read this ...

wear your helmet.
head injuries, although not as common as others, are very seriouse. regardless of weather you are a beginner or have been boarding for ten years, you should be wearing a helmet, especiallcy if you are going to be trying something new. you never know when you could hit an edge and bail.

keep your eyes on whats going on in front of you.
don't look directly down, at your feet. you need to be aware of the bumps and gholes coming ahead of you, otherwise you're likely to hit an edge and fall. resulting in hurt. don't look back, or, not for long anyways, because you are very likely to fall.

know your limits.

be aware of what you are able to do, and don't try to stretch that limit. if you try to do something that you know you likely can't do, it self explantitory what's going to happen, and you're screwed.

be awake, and be alert.

if you are tired or unalert, it could be harming your ability to stay focused. you need to be following the responsibilities of skiiers, and remember that it is always your responsibility; not the person in front of you.

be safe.