ATV safety an issue this week in Saskatchewan

All terrain vehicle, (ATV) safety became an issue this week in Saskatchewan when a five year old boy riding an ATV collided with a truck on a grid road near Leader.

The boy was airlifted to hospital with what were called serious injuries.

John Meed, General Manager of the Saskatchewan ATV Association, a group which aims to promote ATV safety said riders need to know no one under the age 12 can operate an ATV on public property.

“From 12 to 15 years old you have to be accompanied by someone who has a drivers license or have taken one of the two approved ATV safety courses in Saskatchewan.

Meed said that children as young as five can legally ride ATV’s but they need to be on private property, and parents need to be vigilant.

“Children have to be supervised, regardless of where they are.”

Meed said it is important that children ride age appropriate ATV’s and that other precautions be taken.

“A lot of these small ATV’s they can be (governed) … and (can have) kill switches put on them, which is what we recommend.”

Meed said that even small ATV’s can get up to a substantial speed.

Meed recommends that no matter where someone plans to ride, they take an approved safety coarse.

“We still highly recommend that they take that training coarse … it gives them some information on how to properly ride … and shift their weight and things like that.”