Rural Albertans know how to enjoy life. We work hard, and we play hard, with our toys like quads, snowmobiles, boats, and more.
Enjoying life is great, but when our play turns fatal, that’s when we need to step back and think about if we’ve crossed the line from having fun to being stupid.
Seven ATV fatalities took place in the province this May, with those killed ranging in age from 12 to 71. The latest accident claimed the life of an 18-year-old who was from just down the road, Bonnyville. The teenager was not wearing a helmet, according to an RCMP press release, which is not so unusual when one reads about ATV accidents that turned deadly.
Does your 12-year-old wear a helmet when out on a quad? Do you? And are you riding free of drugs and alcohol? If not, what’s the message you’re sending to your kids?
There’s not a single reason people need to try stupid stunts, drink while driving or not wear a helmet in order to enjoy themselves and nature while on their quads.
It’s a point worth stressing, because every year, more people die or are injured from reckless ATV use. In Alberta, our annual ATV death rate is now about 18 a year. Kids are even more likely to get into accidents, because many of them are not as physically strong, or as emotionally or cognitively mature, as an adult.
Even if they wear helmets, it’s no guarantee they won’t be seriously injured or killed if they get into an accident. For instance, a 12-year-old girl that was killed on May 19, when her ATV flipped and pinned her, was wearing a helmet.
That’s one reason why education on safe ATV use is essential. Residents who are hunters don’t hand loaded guns to kids without giving them guidance and instructions on handling the weapon properly. The same consideration should be given to quads, which can be just as deadly.
The same practical sense should also be applied to boats; last month, separate accidents claimed the lives of two men aged 19 and 26, in Coal Lake, and the life of a 29-year-old who drowned when he flipped off a tube. None of these young men, with their whole lives stretching out ahead of them, were wearing life-jackets out on the water. If you think you’re a good swimmer and you don’t need a life-jacket, think again, because no amount of swimming ability will help you if you’re knocked unconscious when you hit the water.
We can keep playing hard, but taking that extra precaution or making your kids take those safety measures is the only way to make sure the next fatal accident doesn’t happen in our backyard.
