Snowmobile crashes mar winter playground
Published: Jan 08, 2010 11:18 am - 0
By Kari Petrie
St. Cloud Times, Minn.
December snowstorms have created a winter playground, but a rash of snowmobile crashes have marred the fun.
In the three days after Christmas, the area saw four accidents involving snowmobiles. Everyone injured was 19 or younger. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Capt. Mike Hammer said that number is pretty typical for a snow-filled holiday weekend.
Darkness, speed and alcohol typically precede snowmobile crashes, Hammer said.
"People need to slow down, especially at night," he said. "There are all kinds of hazards, seen and unseen. Snow covers up a lot of things."
Last winter in Minnesota, 184 snowmobile crashes were reported; 10 of those caused deaths, according to the DNR. A majority of those happen in the afternoon and evening and alcohol was involved in 70 percent of fatalities.
Stearns County Sgt. Steve Soyka oversees the county’s snowmobile patrol. Deputies patrol trails on snowmobiles throughout the season. A state grant pays for the officer time.
Patrolling deputies try to educate the public on snowmobiling laws, specifically speed laws. Snowmobiles can’t exceed 50 mph.
"Stay on the trail and stay within the speed limits," Soyka said. "It also helps to read the safety laws and regulation book."
The department also gets a lot of complaints about people snowmobiling on private property. Soyka said it doesn’t make sense for people to trespass because the county has 850 miles of groomed trails.
Drunken riding is also an issue. Soyka said deputies spend time talking to snowmobilers outside bars to educate them about the dangers of using alcohol and riding.
Alcohol was a factor in a fatal crash in Wright County in December 2008. A 38-year-old man died while operating his snowmobile on the Crow River. The machine struck a rock and the man was thrown.
The man did not have a snowmobile safety certificate and his blood-alcohol level was .086, according to the DNR. The legal limit for operating a motor vehicle, including a snowmobile, is .08.
A drunken snowmobile operator led Stearns County deputies on a chase early Tuesday. The driver eventually stopped when his passenger fell off the back of the snowmobile, according to the sheriff’s office.
Soyka said some snowmobile drivers try to outrun deputies, especially when the deputy is in a squad car. They feel like they can get away faster than the squad can catch them.
Authorities say education is key to preventing crashes.
"A lot of accidents involve inexperienced riders," Soyka said.
In the four snowmobile incidents reported over the Christmas holiday weekend:
A boy was cited for failing to yield to a motor vehicle after a crash Dec. 28 in Becker Township. He was injured and taken to the hospital.
A 3-year-old girl was injured after she fell off a snowmobile Dec. 26 outside of Foley. The girl’s arm got stuck in the track, and she had to be taken to the hospital.
A 16-year-old boy was cited Dec. 26 for not having a snowmobile safety certificate after he tried to stop too quickly and rolled his sled. His 16-year-old female passenger was injured and taken to the hospital.
A 19-year-old Avon man was injured after he fell off his snowmobile Dec. 27. The man was trying to climb a ditch when he fell.
Hammer oversees the DNR office that provides the snowmobile training safety program.
He said the DNR tries to make it as easy as possible for people to take the safety course and offer a CD to adults so they can do the course at home in their own time. There is also in-class training for youth.
"It makes people aware of the hazards out there and how to make the right decisions," he said.
Additional Facts
Snowmobile Equipment Requirements
Helmet
-- Operators or riders younger than 18 must wear an approved helmet displaying the symbol DOT, except when participating in a parade or riding on land owned by a parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle or aunt. Standard bicycle and hockey helmets are not legal helmets for snowmobiling.
Lights
-- Headlights and taillights must be on when it’s dark.
-- Headlights must reach at least 100 feet ahead and be aimed so they will not blind an oncoming snowmobiler.
-- Colored lenses on headlights are NOT allowed when the snowmobile is operated on roads or rights-of-way, including crossing roads and operating in ditches or outside slopes.
-- Red taillights must be visible from at 500 feet behind the snowmobile.
Brakes
-- Brakes must be able to control movement and to stop and hold the snowmobile track.
Reflective Material
-- Snowmobiles must have at least 16 square inches of reflector material on each side forward of the handle bars.
-- Any sled, trailer or other device that is towed by a snowmobile at night must have reflector material on each side and at the rear.
Mufflers
-- Snowmobiles must be equipped with working mufflers that do not produce sharp popping or cracking sounds or excessive or unusual noise. Some after-market exhaust systems may not meet this requirement and may not be lawful to operate.
-- You may not operate or sell a snowmobile built since April 1, 1975, that exceeds 78 decibels on the A scale at 50 feet, except under a permit of the DNR or county sheriff.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Tips and laws to remember for safe Snowmobile Operation
-- Know where you may operate.
-- Use caution in highway rights of way.
-- Check for any local restrictions.
-- Use extra caution in ditches because construction-related materials may remain within right of way.
-- Stay to the right on trails.
-- Never exceed 40 mph at night and or 50 mph during the day.
-- Always yield to cars and trucks.
-- Watch for ponds, brush piles, scattered rocks and silt fences that control runoff, usually near culverts, bridges and lakes.
-- Slow down in construction areas, especially at night.
-- Be aware of snow that may obscure concrete culverts, wooden survey stakes, soil stockpiles and steel right of way markers.
-- A valid driver’s license is required in areas where it’s legal to drive on highway ditches and slopes when crossing roads.
-- Riders are prohibited from operating against traffic at night within highway rights of way.
-- State snowmobile regulations allow riders to operate on outside ditch slopes and ditch bottoms, but prohibit operation on roadways, shoulders and inner slopes of a state or county road. Regulations also prohibit operation on the medians of four-lane highways and within the rights of way of any interstate highway.
Source: Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Snowmobile Safety Certificate
Residents born after Dec. 31, 1976, are required to have a snowmobile safety certificate to operate a snowmobile. To become certified, students must pass a Minnesota snowmobile safety training course.
Youth Snowmobile Safety Course
The course is for riders ages 11 and older, although certificates are not valid until age 12.
The course is at least eight hours long and is taught by DNR-certified volunteers.
Students learn the basics of responsible snowmobiling, operating procedures, machine maintenance, rules and regulations, accident prevention, outdoor survival, environmental awareness and a code of ethics.
The course includes a written test and a riding test that must be passed.
A fee of $5-$10 will be charged to cover the cost of materials and certification.
Youth classes are taught by certified volunteer instructors, usually between November and March.
Adult Snowmobile Safety Training
The Adult Snowmobile Safety Training CD is an independent study course.
The course is available to people 16 and older.
It looks at the cause of accidents, speed and reaction time, stopping distances, group riding and rules and regulations.
The course is designed for multiple users and includes a written test and send-in certification form.
A $10 fee covers costs of material and certification.
To find classes or get the Adult Snowmobile Safety Training CD, check the DNR Web site www.mndnr.gov/snowmobiling or call the Snowmobile Safety Training Program Headquarters at 1-800-366-8917.
St. Cloud Times, Minn.
December snowstorms have created a winter playground, but a rash of snowmobile crashes have marred the fun.
In the three days after Christmas, the area saw four accidents involving snowmobiles. Everyone injured was 19 or younger. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Capt. Mike Hammer said that number is pretty typical for a snow-filled holiday weekend.
Darkness, speed and alcohol typically precede snowmobile crashes, Hammer said.
"People need to slow down, especially at night," he said. "There are all kinds of hazards, seen and unseen. Snow covers up a lot of things."
Last winter in Minnesota, 184 snowmobile crashes were reported; 10 of those caused deaths, according to the DNR. A majority of those happen in the afternoon and evening and alcohol was involved in 70 percent of fatalities.
Stearns County Sgt. Steve Soyka oversees the county’s snowmobile patrol. Deputies patrol trails on snowmobiles throughout the season. A state grant pays for the officer time.
Patrolling deputies try to educate the public on snowmobiling laws, specifically speed laws. Snowmobiles can’t exceed 50 mph.
"Stay on the trail and stay within the speed limits," Soyka said. "It also helps to read the safety laws and regulation book."
The department also gets a lot of complaints about people snowmobiling on private property. Soyka said it doesn’t make sense for people to trespass because the county has 850 miles of groomed trails.
Drunken riding is also an issue. Soyka said deputies spend time talking to snowmobilers outside bars to educate them about the dangers of using alcohol and riding.
Alcohol was a factor in a fatal crash in Wright County in December 2008. A 38-year-old man died while operating his snowmobile on the Crow River. The machine struck a rock and the man was thrown.
The man did not have a snowmobile safety certificate and his blood-alcohol level was .086, according to the DNR. The legal limit for operating a motor vehicle, including a snowmobile, is .08.
A drunken snowmobile operator led Stearns County deputies on a chase early Tuesday. The driver eventually stopped when his passenger fell off the back of the snowmobile, according to the sheriff’s office.
Soyka said some snowmobile drivers try to outrun deputies, especially when the deputy is in a squad car. They feel like they can get away faster than the squad can catch them.
Authorities say education is key to preventing crashes.
"A lot of accidents involve inexperienced riders," Soyka said.
In the four snowmobile incidents reported over the Christmas holiday weekend:
A boy was cited for failing to yield to a motor vehicle after a crash Dec. 28 in Becker Township. He was injured and taken to the hospital.
A 3-year-old girl was injured after she fell off a snowmobile Dec. 26 outside of Foley. The girl’s arm got stuck in the track, and she had to be taken to the hospital.
A 16-year-old boy was cited Dec. 26 for not having a snowmobile safety certificate after he tried to stop too quickly and rolled his sled. His 16-year-old female passenger was injured and taken to the hospital.
A 19-year-old Avon man was injured after he fell off his snowmobile Dec. 27. The man was trying to climb a ditch when he fell.
Hammer oversees the DNR office that provides the snowmobile training safety program.
He said the DNR tries to make it as easy as possible for people to take the safety course and offer a CD to adults so they can do the course at home in their own time. There is also in-class training for youth.
"It makes people aware of the hazards out there and how to make the right decisions," he said.
Additional Facts
Snowmobile Equipment Requirements
Helmet
-- Operators or riders younger than 18 must wear an approved helmet displaying the symbol DOT, except when participating in a parade or riding on land owned by a parent, grandparent, sibling, uncle or aunt. Standard bicycle and hockey helmets are not legal helmets for snowmobiling.
Lights
-- Headlights and taillights must be on when it’s dark.
-- Headlights must reach at least 100 feet ahead and be aimed so they will not blind an oncoming snowmobiler.
-- Colored lenses on headlights are NOT allowed when the snowmobile is operated on roads or rights-of-way, including crossing roads and operating in ditches or outside slopes.
-- Red taillights must be visible from at 500 feet behind the snowmobile.
Brakes
-- Brakes must be able to control movement and to stop and hold the snowmobile track.
Reflective Material
-- Snowmobiles must have at least 16 square inches of reflector material on each side forward of the handle bars.
-- Any sled, trailer or other device that is towed by a snowmobile at night must have reflector material on each side and at the rear.
Mufflers
-- Snowmobiles must be equipped with working mufflers that do not produce sharp popping or cracking sounds or excessive or unusual noise. Some after-market exhaust systems may not meet this requirement and may not be lawful to operate.
-- You may not operate or sell a snowmobile built since April 1, 1975, that exceeds 78 decibels on the A scale at 50 feet, except under a permit of the DNR or county sheriff.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Tips and laws to remember for safe Snowmobile Operation
-- Know where you may operate.
-- Use caution in highway rights of way.
-- Check for any local restrictions.
-- Use extra caution in ditches because construction-related materials may remain within right of way.
-- Stay to the right on trails.
-- Never exceed 40 mph at night and or 50 mph during the day.
-- Always yield to cars and trucks.
-- Watch for ponds, brush piles, scattered rocks and silt fences that control runoff, usually near culverts, bridges and lakes.
-- Slow down in construction areas, especially at night.
-- Be aware of snow that may obscure concrete culverts, wooden survey stakes, soil stockpiles and steel right of way markers.
-- A valid driver’s license is required in areas where it’s legal to drive on highway ditches and slopes when crossing roads.
-- Riders are prohibited from operating against traffic at night within highway rights of way.
-- State snowmobile regulations allow riders to operate on outside ditch slopes and ditch bottoms, but prohibit operation on roadways, shoulders and inner slopes of a state or county road. Regulations also prohibit operation on the medians of four-lane highways and within the rights of way of any interstate highway.
Source: Minnesota Department of Transportation, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Snowmobile Safety Certificate
Residents born after Dec. 31, 1976, are required to have a snowmobile safety certificate to operate a snowmobile. To become certified, students must pass a Minnesota snowmobile safety training course.
Youth Snowmobile Safety Course
The course is for riders ages 11 and older, although certificates are not valid until age 12.
The course is at least eight hours long and is taught by DNR-certified volunteers.
Students learn the basics of responsible snowmobiling, operating procedures, machine maintenance, rules and regulations, accident prevention, outdoor survival, environmental awareness and a code of ethics.
The course includes a written test and a riding test that must be passed.
A fee of $5-$10 will be charged to cover the cost of materials and certification.
Youth classes are taught by certified volunteer instructors, usually between November and March.
Adult Snowmobile Safety Training
The Adult Snowmobile Safety Training CD is an independent study course.
The course is available to people 16 and older.
It looks at the cause of accidents, speed and reaction time, stopping distances, group riding and rules and regulations.
The course is designed for multiple users and includes a written test and send-in certification form.
A $10 fee covers costs of material and certification.
To find classes or get the Adult Snowmobile Safety Training CD, check the DNR Web site www.mndnr.gov/snowmobiling or call the Snowmobile Safety Training Program Headquarters at 1-800-366-8917.
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