Snowmobile safety solutions

Details

Published on Sunday, January 1, 2017

By Constable Kelson Panteluk

Submitted

On Dec. 10 Treherne RCMP received a report that two males aged 29 and 42 from the Winnipeg area had been snowmobiling in Spruce Woods Provincial Park. They called 911 after they got lost on the trails.Treherne, Carberry and Portage la Prairie RCMP officers, with conservation officers from Manitoba Sustainable Development, deployed with snowmobiles and trucks. The males were located by RCMP after being lost for more than six hours. Both men were dressed for the weather and were able to start a fire; temperatures reached -35C. 

These males survived because they were prepared. Here are some basic safety tips to keep in mind when heading out on a snowmobile or on marked snow trails this winter season:

• Don't ride alone.

• Be prepared. Carry spare fuel, survival gear and ensure you are dressed for the weather conditions. 

• When travelling in areas with which you are unfamiliar, always make sure to carry a charged cellphone and GPS when you can. 

• Travel on marked trails when in areas you have never before travelled.

• Always advise someone of what route you plan to take and when you plan to return.

• The law requires that you always wear an approved helmet. 

• Snowmobiles are not to be operated on roadways, shoulders or sidewalks unless circumstances fall under other provisions laid out in the Off Road Vehicles Act. 

• To cross a roadway on a snowmobile, a driver must have a valid driver’s licence. 

• Like any other mode of transportation, only operate a snowmobile when sober and alert. 

• Anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who is a minimum of 18 years old. 

• Young persons over the age of 14 can ride without parental accompaniment, but cannot cross a roadway until they obtain a valid driver’s licence.