By Don Patterson
Staff reporter
In the wake of the death of a Turner Valley man who was killed when his ATV rolled over on him just after midnight on Sunday, RCMP remind people to put safety first when going off-road this summer.
“It’s that time of year where a lot of people are going out on their quads and ATVs,” said Turner Valley RCMP Sgt. Jim Ross.
According to Ross, some ATVs are built to handle rougher terrain than others and people need to know their vehicle’s limitations as well as their own driving abilities and skill level on off-road trails.
He urged people to take safety courses to learn how to control them on various types of terrain in the back country.
“These courses teach people how to operate them properly as well as some basic mechanics on them,” Ross added.
As with any motorized vehicle, he said people should not drink alcohol when driving their ATV.
Ross said people should be wearing safety equipment at all times, including a helmet, eye protection and gloves.
As well, when planning to go into the back-country on an ATV, he said people should let someone know where they are going and when they plan to return.
Ross also said people should be more careful when driving at night, even when on a groomed off-road trail. While most ATVs have a headlight, he said this doesn’t mean a person can drive faster than conditions would allow.
For more information visit on-line at http://www.safetycouncil.org/info/sport/atv.html.
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