Off-road adventures can be deadly
Perhaps the acronym for allterrain vehicle, ATV, should be changed to stand for all types of victims. Because once the snow recedes in Atlantic Canada and the weather starts to warm up, folks of all ages like to head out for some offroad adventures.
The problem is, not everyone takes all the precautions they should and not every obstacle on the trail can be safely avoided, and so at least 100 people are killed in ATV accidents each year in Canada. And that’s not counting accidents involving other off-road vehicles, like side-by-sides and dirt bikes.
Last Saturday, in Nova Scotia alone, six people were injured in recreational vehicle accidents that required responses by fire departments, paramedics and, in one case, an air lift to hospital.
ATV accidents are too frequent across the region, and while some of those who are injured or killed were practicing good safety habits, others throw caution to the wind and neglect to wear helmets and other protective gear, drive while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, or speed and stunt on highways.
In Marystown, N.L. last month, a 21-year-old man was charged with driving an ATV dangerously after he was observed speeding and doing donuts and wheelies in the vicinity of other motorists. He was driving an ATV that was not registered in his name, and had no insurance or helmet.
In Tignish, P.E.I. in March, a 27-year-old male pedestrian was struck and killed by an ATV.
It seems despite amped-up efforts by law enforcement, and regulations governing the age of drivers, engine size, mandatory training, supervision, protective gear and the threat of fines and imprisonment, the safety message is not hitting home the way it should.
Males are most often the victims in ATV deaths — in 85 per cent of cases, according to Statistics Canada.
And children are particularly at risk, since ATVs are heavy machines that can topple over and crush a young driver.
The Canadian Pediatric Association issued a warning 10 years ago that still stands, saying that even though some jurisdictions permit younger kids to drive ATVs, the minimum age should be 16. The association says children younger than that represent nearly 25 per cent of ATVrelated fatalities, and those who are injured and survive can sustain brain injuries that are permanent.
CTV reported last month that “Last year, IWK Health in Halifax, the major pediatric trauma centre in the Maritimes, saw increases in ATV-related ICU trauma admissions, rising to the highest level since it began tracking such admissions 31 years ago.”
Off-road vehicles can provide fun and adventure, but their very nature means they are often driven in places that are difficult to patrol and to get to quickly should an accident happen.
Parents need to ensure that teens have the proper driver training and are following all the safety rules, and adults need to lead by example.
In large part, these are deaths that are preventable.