Alcohol, speed, unfamiliar terrain can be deadly
The Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association is urging riders to be safe not only this week — but all winter.
Two days prior to the launch of Snowmobile Safety Week, two snowmobile riders were involved in a fatal head-on collision five kilometres east of Southey on Highway 22.
According to SGI, it is the first alcohol-related fatality since 2012. In that year, there were four snowmobile collisions that resulted in four injuries and one fatality.
In 2011 there were no collisions reported, but in 2013 there were two alcohol-related snowmobile collisions that resulted in one injury.
There are no statistics for 2014.
Shannon Ell, SGI manager safety promotion, said the numbers could be higher because SGI only keeps records of collisions that take place on Crown land.
According to the RCMP, Friday at 9:42 p.m., the members from the Southey/ Strasbourg detachment were called to the accident.
The drivers of the two snowmobiles — a 15-yearold man from Southey and a 19-year-old man from Markinch — were pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation determined that the 19-yearold was travelling east in the north ditch when he collided with the 15-year-old heading west in the same ditch. The two vehicles collided near the top of an approach.
It is not known how fast the pair were travelling, but witness have said both drivers drank alcohol prior to the collision.
Rick Dolezsar, chairman of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association, said regardless of the circumstances it is always sad when two young lives are lost.
He said every snowmobiler needs to know how to stay safe when they are out.
Dolezsar and Ell would like to remind people that a snowmobile is a motor vehicle and regulations need to be followed.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but there are actually speed limits, a maximum of 80 (kilometres an hour) is the speed limit that is supposed to be travelled on a snowmobile,” said Ell. “Now the SSA does a lot of trail grooming and there are a lot of trails that would have speed limits signs on them and they can be posted at less that 80 depending on the terrain the trail is going through.”
Dolezsar and Ell advise all riders not to consume alcohol while operating a snow mobile.
“An impaired driving charge or an over .08 definitely can be charged on a snowmobile,” said Ell.
Dolezsar said safety needs to take priority.
“It should be noted that most accidents occur at dark and in unfamiliar terrain and sometimes perhaps under the influence,” he said. “When you put those things together you will increase your chance of an incident.”
As part of Snowmobile Safety Week, the SSA is asking anyone who operates a snowmobile to educate themselves and share what they have learned about safety with friends and family.
Anyone born after Jan. 1, 1989, must possess a Snowmobile Safety Certificate. Information on the course is available online at www. sasksnow.com or by calling the SSA at 306-729-3500.