Mandatory ATV training needed, group says

Enthusiasts of all-terrain vehicles have renewed their callfor mandatory regulations to ensure users of the machines have proper safety training.

Recently, a 20-year-oldman died when the ATV he was driving, with two passengers, flipped. RCMP noted alcohol containers were found at the scene and none of the riders had a helmet.

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John Meed, the general manager of theSaskatchewan ATV Association, saysATV training should be mandatory.

"We want to make sure that people understand all the dynamics of that machine," Meed said. "How to climb a hill properly, how to descend a hill. How to avoid things, how to read the land, how to understand what equipment is necessary."

The association is also pushing forATVs to be registered, just like snowmobiles.

Currently, anyone driving or riding anATVmust wear a helmet and goggles. If the vehicle is being used on public land, there is a requirement for training.

Meedsaid the requirement should cover all settings, including private land in rural areas.

"It's gone on for a long timeand [rural residents]have a certain belief system and I just wish they would be more willing to look at training, at least for their kids," Meed said.

SGI, which oversees vehicle registration and the licensing of drivers, said their mandate applies tovehicles on public roads.

There is also a question about enforcement.

"A lot of things can happen on private property that we don't know about," RCMP Cpl. Scott Baron said, noting that ATVsare designed to function on rough land. "ATVs, being an off-road vehicle, it is difficult to enforce and we rely on the public to come forward with information, descriptions, and their information on offences so we can follow up and investigate."

Although ATVs are currently not registered in the province, each must be insured with a $200,000 liability policy, available from a private broker, before it can be operated in public areas.

According to SGI, which compiles statistics on reported collisions, for the four years covering2010 to2013, there were 163 ATV crashes that caused injuries. There were also 14 deaths over those four years.

SGI is still collecting data for 2014. SGI said thenumbers represent collisions reported to SGI under the Traffic Safety and ATV Acts. Because ATVs are not required to be registered, there may be some incidents that are not be reported to police or SGI.