When one thinks about ATVing, what often comes to mind are thoughts of fast, exhilarating riding or good times spent with family and friends; rarely is someone’s first thought of ATVing related to safety. However, while ATVing is a lot of fun, it must also be done safely.
Spreading awareness
Glen Smith is an instructor for HSE Integrated Ltd., Canada’s largest national industrial safety services company. Mainly, Smith teaches classes about oilsands safety, and last year he took the Canadian Safety Council ATV instructors training course, as a lot of the workers he trains drive quads for their job. With this knowledge, Smith decided that he would try to implement a program in Bonnyville, Alberta, to teach young people about ATV safety.
“I decided that we needed to do something about quad safety in the area,” said Smith. “We have had a couple of bad accidents with youth in the area.” In winter 2008, Smith, HSE Integrated and Terry Coulombe, the owner of T&T Power Sports Ltd. in Bonnyville, all became involved with creating an ATV safety course for youth; they worked on setting up a program that would be free of charge for any child. To test the program and see how many participants it would attract, Smith and Coulombe held an open house on April 4 of this year, and more than 100 children signed up.
“We don’t want any charge for the kids,” said Smith. “HSE is providing the books, so it’s free of charge that way; (Coulombe) is providing the quads and I am providing my time. It is on my own time, not (company) time. It will be Saturdays and days off in the evenings. I am going to do it in my own backyard.” For the children to be certified by the ATV Canadian Safety Council, Smith can teach only four children at a time. He sees this as a bonus, as the course will be so much more than just an awareness class.
“I have grandkids and I have been riding ATVs for a good part of my life,” said Smith. “My kids have been raised on them. ATVs were getting a bad name—and it wasn’t the ATV, it was the riders that were giving them a bad name. And I was sick of hearing about kids getting hurt. I thought, ‘Well, if I can save one life or one injury by doing something, then it will be worth it,’ so that is why I decided to do it.”
During the course, Smith will be teaching the youth basic safety training for ATVing, such as getting onto your quad from the left side because that is where your brake is, as opposed to the right side where the quad’s throttle is located. “It is not the ATV,” said Smith, “it is just the awareness. Kids need to learn a little about wearing helmets and just the basics of ATVs. It is not the real hard things that are hurting them—it’s the basics. It is what I call rider active—knowing how to shift your weight and how not to get yourself into situations that you can’t get out of.”
At the culmination of the course, Smith said, the kids will be given a certificate from the Canadian Safety Council. He is looking forward to teaching the youth about ATV safety.
“Out of 100 kids,” said Smith, “if I can get to 50 per cent of them, that is 50 kids that are trained better than when I started.” Due to the mandatory small class sizes, Smith doesn’t know if he will be able to teach the course to all the children who signed up. He is looking for volunteers to assist him in instructing a couple of the classes; anyone who is interested can call Smith at 780-826-5300.
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