From today's paper - a good reminder to us all

FEBRUARY IS the most dangerous month for snowmobile-related injuries, especially if you're a young male, shows a new report released yesterday.

Snowmobiling was the leading cause of serious injuries in the 2003-04 season, found the report released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

Alarmingly, young people under 20 are most likely to suffer serious injuries, and most of them received multiple injuries, specifically orthopedic and head injuries.

The data's release comes two weeks after Mike Doyle, 43, of Osgoode, died of his injuries a day after after hitting a tree while snowmobiling early on Jan. 11.

There have been 10 fatalities in Ontario this season. Three were alcohol-related and speed was a factor in four.


Margaret Keresteci, manager of clinical registries at CIHI, pointed to data that showed just under half of snowmobile collisions that led to severe-trauma injuries last year were alcohol-related, almost double the 26% recorded for 2000-01.

"What this told me was perhaps we don't think of snowmobiles as motor vehicles and maybe don't provide the same education on drinking and driving for the snowmobile."

'MORE ENFORCEMENT'

Bruce Robinson, a Kemptville snowmobiler who represents Eastern Ontario for the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, said tougher legislation, public awareness and enforcement are all needed to tackle drinking and riding.

However, money constraints mean snowmobile clubs are limited in what they can do with awareness campaigns.

The clubs "don't know what more to do," said Robinson.

"We've tried to educate, we've tried to train, we've tried to get the word out. I think the only thing left is more enforcement."

OPP Const. Randal Haddrall of the Snowmobile All Terrain Vehicle and Vessel Enforcement (SAVE), said the Kingston-based unit targets problem areas identified across Eastern Ontario seven days a week.

Speeding is the greatest concern for police, and the greatest contributing factor to major collisions and fatalities.

'WHERE THE ACTION IS'

"We go where the action is and if we find a particular area where there's a large problem with speeding or drinking, we'll stay," he said.

John Blaicher, a snowmobile expert based in Barrie, said the provincial and federal governments need to invest more money in awareness campaigns to cut the number of snowmobile accidents. Too often, the problem is forgotten, because it's seasonal, he said.

SPEED AND INEXPERIENCE KILLS. the power of the newer machines today is just to much for most of the trails today. how long does it take to get from 0 to 100km 5 seconds .and if dont know the trails your riding on slow down.

:!: I reccomend a snowmobile safety course for everybody new to the sport and as a refresher to all of us seasoned riders for the stuff we forgot. :unsure: No matter where you live! :thumbsup: SWRules

I almost forgot! :cool: Join a local club! :thumbsup: It's the best way to get to know the trails by being out working on them. :thumbsup: SWRules

I don't think training courses will do a whole lot to eliminate speed. People buy most of the sleds for the performance. Face it, going fast is a rush. The manufacturers count on this when they develop their advertising campaigns. How many people do you know who stick to the 50km/hr speed limit on the trails? How many people would keep their sleds if the government made governors a requirement?

It doesn't matter if you know the trails or not. The trail can change in a moment i.e. fallen limbs, oncoming riders. Quite often you ride along and are only half paying attention to what you are doing. You are enjoying the scenery, thinking about other things and tend to be driving on auto pilot.

People have to make a point of paying attention to what they are doing and knowing their limits and riding appropriately. Unfortunately, this is not something you can legislate or change easily. You will continue to see people hurt themselves or somebody else and this is not restricted to snowmobiling by any means. It's hard to fight human nature.

I crashed a few years back and have changed my riding habits extremely. I'm confident knowing what I can and can't do. The thing that scares me is the "other guy" that's on my side around a corner or coming towards me going 80mph on a straightaway.

We up to 15 deaths in Ont for the season as of this weekend :(

Take it easy guys

I agree with what yoiu are saying Andy. The problem with the training courses will be the expense (both to take and to run). The training courses we give the kids right now, so they can get their sled licence, only cover the "rules of the road" and basic sled operation. They get no seat time. What would be required to be effective would be something similar to the motorcycle training course offered by some of the local colleges. You get actual seat time and learn how to operate the vehicle safely and also how to lay it down safely to minimize injury should the situation require it. I don't see something like this happening anytime soon for a variety of reasons. Giving it to the kids coming into the sport would be a great start but they are not the only ones in need of a course. It wouldn't hurt new and old riders. It could be something similar to the race/control courses offered to the police and at some of the race tracks. This gives even experienced riders new knowledge. I believe some of the northern highschools have a sled course.

I find this interesting because it shows younger riders to be more at risk, but this study only shows 'injuries' not deaths (or maybe it's showing injuries and deaths?) If you look at the death stats for michigan, it seems to show middle aged men (mid life crisis weekend warriors, and I can only say that for a few more years before I'm one of them) who are most at risk. However, even in this 'middle aged' group, you see alot of out of towners and/or people on rental sleds end up dying. These are cases where people are unfamiliar with the trails, their machines, or both. I think they should come up with some kind of a 'phased' permit system where a 16 year old kid wouldn't be allowed to own or register a large displacement sled without a few years of seat time on something smaller. I think some countries in europe have a motorcycle permit system like this. Start out on a 440 or less when your under 16, then you get your 600cc permit, then if you can keep that rubber side down for a year or two, you can get your unlimited cc permit. Make an option to get the permits faster with extra training or something.
I've heard of people quitting their jobs selling street bikes because they don't like having to sell large displacement machines to kids, and feel guilty when they get hurt or die. I've also heard that some shops/salesmen actually do the right thing and will not sell large displacement bikes to first timers. They should just make it a law not to sell large displacement machines to inexperienced riders. I know that's a slippery slope situation that could lead to more laws in the future, but snowmobiles are so fast these days there's no need for someone to learn to ride on the biggest and fastest machine. Stateside they don't even let kids drink beer until they're 21 but supposedly as soon as they get their permit or turn 16 they're smart enough to pilot a 1000cc sled or bike?

Conscience only goes so far for the sled dealers and manufacturers. They still have to eat. The larger sleds certainly make it easier to get hurt as they pretty much jump when you touch the throttle but if you can't kill yourself on a 340 you aren't trying hard enough. It's the nature of the beast. Look at the horsepower to weight ratio on basically any sled and it blows most autos away. To try and keep inexperienced riders off of high powered sleds, or sleds beyond their physical capability to control, would be impossible to police.

To try and keep inexperienced riders off of high powered sleds, or sleds beyond their physical capability to control, would be impossible to police.
[/b]

It would be impossible to keep inexperienced riders riding high powered sleds, but not impossible to pass a law keeping dealers selling them to inexperienced riders. If little johnny wants a mach z bad enough let daddy put it in his name, and be liable for any potential damages. It's impossible to keep kids under 21 from drinking too, but that doesn't stop us from having a law against it.