SNOW SAFETY
Snowmobile deaths on the rise in Quebec
Quebec has seen a big hike in fatal snowmobile accidents this winter over last season.
A four- year- old boy is the latest person to be killed in a snowmobiling accident in Quebec this winter. Since the start of the 201415 season, at least 28 people have been killed in the province in areas served by the Sûreté du Québec. By comparison, 15 people died in snowmobile accidents in 2013- 14, according to the SQ.
The latest fatal accident happened in a small town near Rimouski when the boy was travelling on a snowmobile with two women. The driver lost control of the snowmobile in a turn and it slammed into some trees in St- Léon- Le- Grand. The two women were treated for injuries in a hospital but their lives are not in danger.
On Friday, a 62- year- old man from Pointe- Calumet was killed in an accident in the Lanaudière accident.
Serge Ritcher, head of the Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec, suggested a few theories that might explain the increase. Trails stayed icy because of the unusually cold weather in February and the small amount of snow accumulation. As a result, it’s harder to keep control, especially when you go into curves, he said. The combination of those factors “has made driving more dangerous” and caused its share of tragedies, he said.
“When you look at the current numbers, for sure it’s a shock,” he acknowledged.
In the same breath, however, Ritcher put his remark in perspective.
When you look at the current numbers, for sure it’s a shock. SE R G E RI T C H E R
“We know that there are more than 180,000 licensed snowmobilers in Quebec, that the province is a destination for our neighbours in Ontario as well as our friends from the United States. There are many, many people on our 32,000 kilometres of trails,” he said.
Ritcher is convinced many of these outdoor enthusiasts will want to continue snowmobiling as long as the weather co- operates. He offered a word of caution.
“We’ve already had mild spells,” said Ritcher, adding that going on bodies of water could be problematic. “Be careful. Follow the speed limits and especially know your own limits.”
The federation plans to continue its awareness messages in the future and next season they’ll spread the word on a large scale. A special publicity campaign will be developed to encourage people to drive well and to “make them understand that the trails aren’t race tracks,” he said.
The federation won’t rely exclusively on more awareness next season, Ritcher said. Their monitoring staff will be a lot more present, he said. “We’ll go from 100 to 200 patrollers who will have the power to issue tickets and who will support the teams from the Sûreté du Québec.