Not sure if this was put up here yet or not. Interesting article I just found. It's not new. It came out in 2006. Just found the stats interesting.
Snowmobile accidents account for most severe winter recreation injuries treated in Canada, far outnumbering snowboarding and skiing injuries, according to a report released Wednesday.
The report says snowmobile crashes, rollovers or plunges into lakes and rivers were responsible for 41 per cent of injuries treated in specialized trauma units in 2003-04, says the report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
Snowboarding and skiing injuries were next at 20 per cent each, followed by hockey (nine per cent), tobogganing (seven per cent) and ice skating (three per cent).
The study found drivers of snowmobiles, when injured, tend to be crushed by their machines, suffering leg and spine injuries. Passengers are injured less often, but when they are, they often suffer head or bone injuries from being thrown off the machines.
Margaret Keresteci, who worked on the report, says people under age 20 are most likely to be seriously injured while riding snowmobiles. Often, she says, they suffer multiple injuries that can change the course of their lives.
"Especially if it is something like a head injury, things change. Education plans change. Career plans change. It really is something that can affect a person for a lifetime," she told CBC News.
"When we think that an activity that's designed to be fun and recreational and then can have this tragic impact, I think it speaks to us all about taking the precautions necessary."
Statistics no surprise: Snoman
Statistics from Quebec and Manitoba were not available to the institute and thus were not included in the study, but officials with Snoman, the umbrella group representing snowmobile clubs across the province, say most of the report's findings come as no surprise.
Snoman spokesman Duncan Stokes says his organization has been warning riders to be more careful for years.
"Riders have to be informed before they get on to a machine. I think they have to be aware of their own riding limitations and have to be aware of the machine's capabilities, and not only that, take the safety precautions, in terms of properly fitting equipment and not riding alone, and of course never to drink and ride," he said.
The report found almost half (49 per cent) of those severely injured while snowmobiling were drinking before the crash.
Snowmobiling has been a deadly pastime here in Manitoba this year, with five deaths so far this season.
The study found February was the most dangerous month in terms of injuries, followed by January and March.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2006/01/25/mb_snowmobiling-20060125.html
Snowmobile accidents account for most severe winter recreation injuries treated in Canada, far outnumbering snowboarding and skiing injuries, according to a report released Wednesday.
The report says snowmobile crashes, rollovers or plunges into lakes and rivers were responsible for 41 per cent of injuries treated in specialized trauma units in 2003-04, says the report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
Snowboarding and skiing injuries were next at 20 per cent each, followed by hockey (nine per cent), tobogganing (seven per cent) and ice skating (three per cent).
The study found drivers of snowmobiles, when injured, tend to be crushed by their machines, suffering leg and spine injuries. Passengers are injured less often, but when they are, they often suffer head or bone injuries from being thrown off the machines.
Margaret Keresteci, who worked on the report, says people under age 20 are most likely to be seriously injured while riding snowmobiles. Often, she says, they suffer multiple injuries that can change the course of their lives.
"Especially if it is something like a head injury, things change. Education plans change. Career plans change. It really is something that can affect a person for a lifetime," she told CBC News.
"When we think that an activity that's designed to be fun and recreational and then can have this tragic impact, I think it speaks to us all about taking the precautions necessary."
Statistics no surprise: Snoman
Statistics from Quebec and Manitoba were not available to the institute and thus were not included in the study, but officials with Snoman, the umbrella group representing snowmobile clubs across the province, say most of the report's findings come as no surprise.
Snoman spokesman Duncan Stokes says his organization has been warning riders to be more careful for years.
"Riders have to be informed before they get on to a machine. I think they have to be aware of their own riding limitations and have to be aware of the machine's capabilities, and not only that, take the safety precautions, in terms of properly fitting equipment and not riding alone, and of course never to drink and ride," he said.
The report found almost half (49 per cent) of those severely injured while snowmobiling were drinking before the crash.
Snowmobiling has been a deadly pastime here in Manitoba this year, with five deaths so far this season.
The study found February was the most dangerous month in terms of injuries, followed by January and March.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2006/01/25/mb_snowmobiling-20060125.html
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