ATV-related deaths in Ontario more than twice as high from this time last year
It has been a deadly start to the off-roading season in Ontario.
- Sign up now for our daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
Ontario Provincial Police say so far this year, there have been nine fatalities related to all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents in the province.
"Compared to this time last year, that's more than double. There had been four across Ontario by this point in 2023,” said OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson in an interview.
"Here in eastern Ontario, we have seen two fatalities. So two people die as a result of injuries sustained when they were operating an ATV."
It’s a concerning trend for Shari Black, executive director of the Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs, who says it could be due, in part, to the growing interest in the activity.
"More people are buying the machines, more people are using them,” Black said in an interview.
“Maybe they bought them through Covid and some of the novelty has worn off, they’re really comfortable, but they’re not applying the practical, commonsense skills."
Police say impaired operation continues to be an issue, but the biggest factors that lead to serious injury and death are improper helmet and seatbelt use.
"I like to preach that these types of vehicles aren't safe,” said Sgt. Byron Newell with the OPP East Region's SAVE Team, which operates specifically on Ontario’s trails and waterways.
"They're always dangerous. So you need to learn how to drive them properly."
Newell says his teams stop every off-roading group they come across while patrolling trails. He says "a lot" of riders are not taking precautions by using helmets or seatbelts.
"I've been to many accidents where they've come off the ATV. They were wearing the helmet, but the helmet falls off and then it doesn't do them any good because they didn't have the chin strap on properly."
Black adds that many serious incidents occur when riders stray away from the groomed trails.
"Most serious injuries and accidents are happening on the roads, maybe involving another vehicle on the road or a tip over, or they're happening on private property."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
W5 Investigates A 'ticking time bomb': Inside Syria's toughest prison holding accused high-ranking ISIS members
In the last of a three-part investigation, W5's Avery Haines was given rare access to a Syrian prison, where thousands of accused high-ranking ISIS members are being held.
'Mayday!': New details emerge after Boeing plane makes emergency landing at Mirabel airport
New details suggest that there were communication issues between the pilots of a charter flight and the control tower at Montreal's Mirabel airport when a Boeing 737 made an emergency landing on Wednesday.
Federal government posts $13B deficit in first half of the fiscal year
The Finance Department says the federal deficit was $13 billion between April and September.
Weather warnings for snow, wind issued in several parts of Canada
Winter is less than a month away, but parts of Canada are already projected to see winter-like weather.
Canadian news publishers suing ChatGPT developer OpenAI
A coalition of Canadian news publishers is suing OpenAI for using news content to train its ChatGPT generative artificial intelligence system.
Cucumbers sold in Ontario, other provinces recalled over possible salmonella contamination
A U.S. company is recalling cucumbers sold in Ontario and other Canadian provinces due to possible salmonella contamination.
Nick Cannon says he's seeking help for narcissistic personality disorder
Nick Cannon has spoken out about his recent diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder, saying 'I need help.'
BREAKING Supreme Court affirms constitutionality of B.C. law on opioid health costs recovery
Canada's top court has affirmed the constitutionality of a law that would allow British Columbia to pursue a class-action lawsuit against opioid providers on behalf of other provinces, the territories and the federal government.
Real GDP per capita declines for 6th consecutive quarter, household savings rise
Statistics Canada says the economy grew at an annualized pace of one per cent during the third quarter, in line with economists' expectations.