Where do
you learn about how to fall and not hurt your hands ?

To begin with, LeeD couldn't be more correct in pointing out that chess
is dangerous. I sure don't want the story of my thumb to be taken as
evidence that riding is dangerous. It was a fluke that is easily
avoided. You already have enough knowledge to avoid it! I spent my
childhood in bubble wrap and I think I have a keener sense of risk than
some. Even so, as a freerider I wear no protective gear. After
developing just a few skills, I don't perceive of riding as risky.

Like most, I would have preferred to just get out there and learn by
doing, but my mishap made me think just little more than most do. The
following year when I went back out I took a lesson and 'how to fall'
was part of it. I did some searching on the internet and also bought
the book The Illustrated Guide To Snowboarding, which has a couple
pages on the subject. The principals are really simple and easy to
employ with a little practice. Don't put out your arms to break a fall,
don't spread your fingers, relax and ride out the fall when you can
rather than fighting it, things like that.

If you're concerned about injury to the point that it's affecting your
level of fun, spend $16 USD on the book (or another book) and take a
free lesson. Ask questions about falling if it's not offered by the
instructor. I think it's a truism, too, that if a person is continually
thinking about injury they are more likely to get injured. Part of the
deal with this sport is confidence. At least to me it is.

Some will disagree, but I'll say that another upside of a book is that
if you're the analytical type you can get an appreciation for the
forces at work with riding and learn how to play with them a little
more effectively than you might be able to with trial and error. There
are a lot of ways to ride. Some techniques are crutches, some are good
form, some may be specific to you. It helps me to have an external
reference to some idea of "good form".

Have fun!