Northwest Territories: ATVs called dangerous machines



(NWT News) - Hay River Town Council should endorse a proposed bylaw governing the use of all-terrain vehicles within town limits.

These are powerful and potentially dangerous machines.

The NWT's latest health indicators report published in 2010 places injuries - which include ATV and snowmobile use - as the third leading cause of death in the NWT. Although the latest report does not break down injuries by type, the department's previous report listed ATV and snowmobile use as accounting for 85 per cent of that bracket.

Between 2005 and 2009, according to the Department of Transportation's annual road safety reports, there have been 98 injuries as a result of off-road vehicles and three deaths in the NWT.

A case in Fort Smith back in 2008 was perhaps the most sensational incident to occur in the South Slave in recent history. A 17-year-old girl escaped with her life after suffering serious head trauma following a snowmobile accident. She spent months in hospital recovering.

Although the GNWT does have legislation governing the use of ATVs territory-wide, some communities have recognized the need for municipal bylaws to help further control infractions and prevent injury and death.

Fort Smith enacted its ATV bylaw back in 2003 and Yellowknife developed its own in 1986, two years prior to the GNWT enacting the All-Terrain Vehicles Act.

Those short-sighted few would argue that bylaws have failed to prevent injuries such as the one in Fort Smith, but it is impossible to quantify how many accidents our laws do prevent.

Hay River Coun. Bernie Langille owes law enforcement personnel across the territory an apology for telling Hay River's bylaw officer, "Anybody who knows how to ride isn't going to stop (for law enforcement officials)," and, "It's practically a matter of honour that you've outrun a police officer on a quad."

The comments were made at a council meeting in response to a proposal for a bylaw regulating ATV use in Hay River.

For Langille to completely shoot down the bylaw officer's proposal for an ATV bylaw demonstrates a lack of awareness to the dangers these vehicles pose when not properly controlled.

Every year this newspaper reports a number of serious ATV or snowmobile injuries and/or deaths.

By Langille's reasoning, we should do away with all road safety laws and allow drivers of all sorts of vehicles to run amok on our streets and highways.

Langille seems to not understand that laws can be instructive for law-abiding citizens - letting them know what speeds and manoeuvres are acceptable in town - and also to establish penalties for reckless behaviour.

Earl Blacklock, manager of public affairs and communications with the GNWT Department of Transportation, stated in an e-mail that the department supports "any regulation and enforcement that will make more likely the safe use of snowmobiles and ATVs and the prevention of injuries and fatalities."

Hay River's Shaun Demarcke, who is with the Hay River Snowmobile Association, told News/North he is in support of an ATV bylaw, arguing that snowmobiles and quads have no place in downtown Hay River. Demarcke also disagreed with Langille's characterization of ATVers' questionable honour.

Hay River council should seriously consider passing its own ATV bylaw, which would add to and strengthen current NWT legislation. Even one life saved or serious injury prevented is worth challenging the questionable code of honour Langille seems to believe ATV users hold.


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