THUNDER BAY – Off-road vehicles can be fun, but when exercising caution is ignored, they’ve proven to be deadly.
In Ontario alone there have been 40 ORV-related deaths since 2017, which police blame upon a number of factors, including excess speed, lack of helmet use, carelessness and alcohol consumption.
On Thursday local Ontario Provincial Police officers joined forces with representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry to Transportation outside the Arthur Street Canadian Tire location, handing out information to the public designed to teach them about ORV safety.
Const. Diana Cole said the fatality total is an eye-opener.
“It’s a pretty high number and we’re hoping that’s the end of it,” Cole said. “We don’t want to lose any more people to off-road vehicle fatalities or snowmobile fatalities.
The message is clear: riders should refrain from drinking before riding, ensure they put on a helmet and slow down.
Cole said she’s not sure why the message hasn’t hit home, despite a high death count.
It’s not like the machines are new to the marketplace, especially in a remote area like Northwestern Ontario, where they’re almost a way of life for some families.
“We’ve been educating people and informing people for many, many years, but unfortunately people still aren’t heeding the warnings about not drinking. Many of our collisions involve alcohol and also not wearing a helmet,” Cole said.
“We’ve seen so many of those where it could have been a totally different outcome if somebody was wearing a helmet.”
She noted that off-road drivers must be at least 12 years of age unless they are on land owned by the ORV owner or under the close supervision of an adult. To drive on a roadway, an ORV operator must be at least 16 and hold a minimum G2/M2 licence.
An approved helmet is a must and insurance is also mandatory if not on private property.
Many of the same rules apply to snowmobiles. Speed restrictions also apply to both types of vehicles, dependant on where they’ve being ridden.
Cole cautioned that riders should also know they’re subject to the same driving under the influence penalties they’d face if driving drunk on Ontario’s roads. She added snowmobilers should consider carrying a safety kit and advise others of where they plan to ride and when they should be expected home, especially if travelling over frozen waterways. Extra caution should be exercised if driving at night.
