Snowmobile Deaths Increase in New England

Carelessness, inexperience, drinking blamed

FRIDAY, Dec. 19(HealthDayNews) -- Snowmobile deaths hit a 12-year high in New England last winter, mostly because some drivers aren't following basic safety rules, a new government report shows.

There were 28 snowmobile deaths in the 2002-2003 season, says a report in the Dec. 19 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. And a study by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services "indicated that the leading contributors to snowmobile fatalities were excessive speed, inattentive or careless operation and inexperience."

Alcohol played a role in a substantial number of those deaths, adds Leigh Ramsey, a CDC epidemiologist stationed in New Hampshire. Blood alcohol tests were done on 20 victims, and five of them showed levels above 0.08 milligrams per deciliter, enough to have a driver cited for driving under the influence.

There were also more folks on the trail. "There was more snow last year and registrations did increase a little," Ramsey says, "but the problems were people driving too fast, operating snowmobiles carelessly and inexperience."

None of the 26 drivers who died had taken an operator safety course, the report notes. One of the other two persons who died was a passenger, and one was a pedestrian.

One New Hampshire case report sums up what not to do when operating a snowmobile. A 30-year-old man died as he accelerated his snowmobile in an attempt at "skimming," riding the machine over open water. He fell off the snowmobile, hit his head on the ice and fell into the water, dying of a fractured skull. He was not wearing a helmet and had a blood alcohol content of 0.06 milligrams per deciliter, just below the state limit.

By coincidence, the Maine Snowmobile Association had its annual season-opening press conference as the report was released. "It's something we do every year," says Bob Meyers, the association's executive director, "giving the simple rules about how to behave and what happens to you if you don't."

Some basic rules, posted on the association's Web site, are "stay to the right, operate at a reasonable and prudent speed, be aware of your surroundings, and never drink and drive," Meyers says.

Being aware of your surroundings means that "you should check your rear view mirror, look over your shoulder, and keep your eyes wide open when you come around a curve or go over a rise," he says.

Snowmobile safety is "all about personal responsibility," Meyers says. "We have 13,000 miles of snowmobile trails and just 90 game wardens to police them."

More people than ever before are expected on the trails, he says: "We've seen steady increases, and now have over 100,000 registrations."

Meyers sums up safety advice in four words: "You've got to behave."

More information

Snowmobile safety advice is given by the Maine Snowmobile Association or the Vermont State Police.

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