Calgary Herald

KEEP ATV RIDERS SAFE

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There’s hope that Alberta’s new NDP government will put an end to the dithering over requiring the riders of all-terrain vehicles to wear helmets, as well as introducin­g age restrictio­ns that would prevent children from being injured or killed in their recreation­al pursuits.

Sadly, the carnage continues, with three young Albertans killed and 20 more hospitaliz­ed in ATV-related mishaps since April 1 alone. A total of 45 children had to seek medical treatment in Alberta’s two pediatric emergency department­s during the same period, according to Alberta Health Services.

ATVs are a highly popular way of experienci­ng the outdoors, despite the complaints of some detractors who say the vehicles are noisy and pose a threat to wildlife habitat when under the control of irresponsi­ble drivers.

Given their frequent use, common-sense safety measures that limit the risk of injury or death are overdue.

Compelling riders to wear helmets is the right thing to do. Interim Liberal Leader David Swann suggests children should be restricted to riding vehicles with roll bars and seatbelts, which is a sound idea.

“It’s time for action,” said Swann, a medical doctor whose nephew was killed in an ATV accident in June 2012. “I don’t think we want to wait for more deaths and more disabiliti­es.”

Some politician­s and stakeholde­rs insist education is the best way of improving safety.

“Education of kids’ parents has to be No. 1,” says Tory Leader Ric McIver, who opposed legislated safety measures when he served in cabinet. “Parents need to take a responsibl­e view to what they let their kids do and what they don’t.”

Says Cochrane’s Robert Henry, who has been a member of the ATV community for six years: “We would value greater engagement and investment in educationa­l efforts. The return on invested dollars for education is going to be way higher than that of enforcemen­t. And we only have so many dollars.”

Education is certainly part of the solution, but it is no substitute for a helmet that can protect a rider’s head, or roll bars and seatbelts, particular­ly when not every hazard can be foreseen, and human error is, well, human. After all, who would argue that driver instructio­n should eliminate the need to buckle up in our cars while on the highway? Surely, such precaution­s are just as prudent in vehicles intended to travel over rough, unpredicta­ble terrain.

Let’s hope the NDP takes action soon to encourage better ATV safety and reduce the injuries and deaths, and in doing so, crimping the estimated $16 million such accidents cost the health-care system annually.

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