By Sarah Wallace

Snowmobile Safety Week coincides with recent tragedies

Jan 21, 2015 | 6:22 AM

Across Saskatchewan, it is Snowmobile Safety Week and this year it was preceded by two snowmobile fatalities.

A 15-year-old boy and 19-year-old man were killed on Jan. 16 after the snowmobiles they were on collided head-on east of Southey.

The RCMP believe alcohol was a factor in the accident.

Rick Dolezsar, chairman of the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association (SSA) board, said there are a lot of common sense rules when it comes to snowmobiling, just like there are common sense rules when you operate an off-road vehicle or recreation vehicle.

The SSA provides some consistent messages in terms of making sure your machine is safe to ride. 

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“We encourage everyone to stay on the designated trail system because of the signage and grooming, and it’s generally safer.”

He said there are always going to be accidents when motorized vehicles are involved.

“Riding a night, in unfamiliar terrain, and of course under the influence of alcohol are certainly going to increase your chances of an incident of occurring and we discourage that of course.”

The SSA sponsors an online safety training course that is available to everyone in the province.  

The online safety training is mandatory for youth under the age of 16 in order for them to legally operate a snowmobile.

Dolezsar said your snowmobile needs to be registered in order to operate on the trail system.

“Those are the basic outlines of what you need to do before you head out.”

For those who don’t follow the rule are subject to fines which are issued by the RCMP. (You can see a list of fines below.)

Over the last few years the number of fatalities while snowmobiling have remained steady.

Last year, (2013-2014) saw three off-trail snowmobiling fatalities.

From 2012 to 2013 there were only two fatalities, one on the trail and one off-trail, which is the same for the year 2011 to 2012.

Those numbers are much lower than in 2010 to 2011, when there were seven fatalities, two on-trail and five off-trail.

“The SSA is here to promote the sport in Saskatchewan, to promote and organize a safe trail system. Over the years machines are getting better and safer, the trail system has certainly improved over the last several decades where there’s over 9,000 groomed and assigned trails in Saskatchewan,” Dolezsar said.

“If you ride on the trail, stay on the trail, obey signs and have a safe experience.”

Snowmobile Fines

Under the Snowmobile Act the following fines apply:

Sec 3(1)(a) Snowmobile Act: Unregistered snowmobile – $100.00

Sec 3(1)(b) Snowmobile Act: Fail to display plate – $100.00

Sec 13 Snowmobile Act: Fail to produce registration – $100.00

Sec 15(1) Snowmobile Act: Operate without a license – $150.00

Sec 17 Snowmobile Act: Fail to produce a license – $100.00

Sec 22 Snowmobile Act: Operate a snowmobile without wearing a helmet – $125.00

Sec 23(2) Snowmobile Act: Operating a snowmobile in excess of the regulated speed – $150.00

Sec 24 Snowmobile Act: Improper towing – $150.00

The speed limit along designated trails is 80 kilometres per hour.

For teenagers with a Class 7 driver’s license, which is a learners permit, when using a snowmobile they have to be supervised or accompanied by a qualified adult when operating the vehicle.

swallace@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahthesquid