ATV roll bar not the answer
To the editor,
In response to Lloyd P. MacKay’s Sept. 27 letter titled Need better laws on ATV manufacture:
The use of ATVs continues to rise, whether in a professional or a personal enjoyment capacity. Whenever the discussion involves motorized vehicles reaching high speeds, there’s always an element of danger attached.
I sympathize with the region of Pictou West. Six fatalities in the span of a month is both tragic and entirely avoidable. However, I disagree with Mr. MacKay’s claim that ATVs are inherently unsafe… and so do the statistics. The most common causes of ATV crashes are loss of control, carrying a passenger, driver error or judgment error.
One of the recommendations put forward by Mr. MacKay involves the installation of a roll bar in ATVs. However, roll bars are at their most effective when the driver is in an upright, seated position. ATVs are designed to navigate rocky and uneven terrain, often requiring the driver to shift their weight.
Take, for instance, an ATV operator navigating through a bush. They’re likely to duck so as not to get hit in the face by a branch. In the event of a rollover, a roll bar will simply pass over the operator and won’t help limit injury.
ATVs are designed with safety in mind. They are not designed to be equipped with roll bars, and adding one would throw off the centre of gravity and wouldn’t make the machine any safer on its own.
There are two major components to ATV safety that are often overlooked and result in crashes: proper training, and the use of the device as intended. The Manufacturer’s Operating Manual (M.O.M.) is literature specifically intended to help operators understand unsafe manoeuvres and how to avoid them. It’s important to listen to M.O.M. at all times!
In his letter, Mr. MacKay asks “Where is our Canada Safety Council?” We’re right here, riding alongside our fellow Canadians, urging proper education and training. It’s where we have been for more than 25 years, and where we plan on being well into the future. I hope other riders are encouraged to take the safety training so they can join us there, too.
Michel Prud’homme
Manager, Traffic Safety and Training National Co-ordinator for Off-Highway Vehicles
Canada Safety Council