I can't help but think that some of these deaths could've been prevented, if people had simply slowed down. |
I would hate to see what the number of fatalities had been had we not had the special snowmobile patrols. We definitely had the desired effect, which was make people think, especially when they were drinking alcohol. We know people decided to not drive their snowmobile at night if they were drinking because of the team's presence. |
Overwhelmingly, there's probably not a lot of presence, or not as much as we'd like. |
The department obviously has a concern about the safety issues, as well as the snowmobile going into the water and fuel seepage. But for now there are no plans I know of to ban skipping. |
The vast majority of the snowmobiling public is very safe and responsible. Most of the people the team meets while on patrol are happy to see the additional presence. Many people have had 'close calls' with reckless operators on the trails. They're tired of it. |
We need people to think about and protect their own safety, ride at reasonable speeds and keep their alcohol consumption to a minimum when driving. |