Recreational activities, like snowmobiling, have become extremely popular among Americans. Unfortunately, recreational pastimes can also result in severe injury or even death because they often take place on dangerous terrain, and passengers are often unprotected. In fact, statistics show that snowmobiling causes approximately 200 deaths and 14, 000 injuries in the United States each year. If you are planning to ride, know how to reduce your risk, and learn what you should do, should a snowmobiling accident occur.
Preventing the Leading Causes of Snowmobile Deaths and Injuries
According to a 2003 Oneida Healthcare Center study, most snowmobile accidents can be attributed to preventable causes, such as excessive speeding, alcohol consumption, driver inexperience, and poor judgement. Moreover, the majority of severe or fatal head injuries can be attributed to lack of helmet use. To prevent injuries and deaths from these common causes (as well as any others) riders should follow the basic rules of safety, including:
- Never drink when planning to ride;
- Slow down, especially after sunset;
- Carry a first-aid kit;
- Always wear a helmet and other important protective gear;
- Watch carefully for water;
- Ride along trails or roads instead of unmarked and potentially dangerous areas;
- Never travel alone;
- Take a safety course to improve your knowledge and experience;
- Perform maintenance each year to ensure your snowmobile is working properly; and
- Always let someone know where you are going and when you will be back.
Snowmobiling for Children
Of all the snowmobilers, children and teens are the most at risk for serious injury and death. This is due, in part, to their lack of experience and knowledge. They are also more likely to make poor judgements and risky decisions. As such, all teens and children should attend a safety course.
Once they have graduated, adult supervision should continue. Parents, guardians, or other responsible adults should also follow and enforce all basic safety rules when riding along to ensure continuity in the importance of riding safety.
The Importance of Insurance
Even if all the rules are followed, accidents can and do happen. For this reason, insurance should be purchased to cover snowmobile owners and drivers in the event of an accident. It can generally be purchased as an add-on to your car insurance to make coverage simple and straightforward. Just be certain you carefully read and understand what your policy will or will not cover.
If an snowmobiling accident does occur, you need to alert the proper authorities and your insurance company. Immediately after, you should contact an attorney to see if you may be eligible to pursue fair compensation for your injuries. [[title]] can examine the details of your accident to determine if defective products or a negligent driver may be responsible. Contact our Green Bay snowmobile accident attorneys or Appleton snowmobile accident attorneys to schedule your free initial consultation. Call 920-739-7366 today.
Sources:
https://www.amfam.com/learning-center/my-car/snowmobile-safety.asp#.VqaKtRUrLIU
http://dnr.wi.gov/files/pdf/pubs/le/le0203_2014.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12671482