In Ontario there have been 18 snowmobile-related fatalities already in the 2009 – 2010 season. 93% of these incidents occurred off-trail, on lakes and rivers. This includes two drownings and at least nine on-ice collisions. These kinds of tragedies are largely preventable. Snowmobilers must make personal decisions to ride within the law, slow down, especially after dark, and avoid alcohol or drug consumption – factors that are well-documented causes of snowmobiling incidents. The OFSC also emphasizes that statistically, open OFSC trails remain the safest place to ride a snowmobile with care and control.
For more information on the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act, visit e-laws.gov.on.ca.
S.T.O.P. Program
The OPP have been vigilant in trying to monitor action on the snow. They have help.The sledders who participate, and the OFSC volunteers committed to having safe use of winters in Muskoka, work with the OPP.
In this program, OFSC volunteers are trained by partnering police services, and are sworn in as Special Constables and Provincial Offenses Officers.
They then become members of the Snowmobile Trail Officers Patrol (S.T.O.P.), empowered to enforce provisions of the Motorized Snow Vehicle Act by issuing tickets or making arrests.
Sixty snowmobiles were sold in North America in 1960. Today there are over 300,000 registered snowmobiles in the Province of Ontario.
Estimates are that this sport contributed 1.2 billion over $900 million dollars to the Ontario economy and $3.6 billion in Canada in 2005. Unfortunately, as my regular readers are noticing, there are far too many incidents of fatalities, and serious injuries. The impact on families is huge.
They then become members of the Snowmobile Trail Officers Patrol (S.T.O.P.), empowered to enforce provisions of the Motorized Snow Vehicle Act by issuing tickets or making arrests.
Sixty snowmobiles were sold in North America in 1960. Today there are over 300,000 registered snowmobiles in the Province of Ontario.
Estimates are that this sport contributed 1.2 billion over $900 million dollars to the Ontario economy and $3.6 billion in Canada in 2005. Unfortunately, as my regular readers are noticing, there are far too many incidents of fatalities, and serious injuries. The impact on families is huge.
The goals of the S.T.O.P. program are to;
- Increase public awareness of snowmobile safety and the dangers of drinking and riding a snowmobile
- Educate snowmobilers on safety and nuisance concerns and promoting voluntary compliance with the snowmobile laws.
- Enforce the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act (M.S.V.A.) and, where applicable, municipal snowmobile bylaws
They also assist police in enforcing alcohol abuse, a problem as serious as going too fast on unmonitored trails. The power to write tickets comes from the Provincial Offences Act Section 1(3) and the designation of Special Constables is signed by the Solicitor General. This permits the Commissioner of the O.P.P. to appoint the S.T.O.P. Officers as Special Constables. The O.P.P. Provincial Coordinator holds the signed designation in Orillia empowering the S.T.O.P. Officers to be appointed as Special Constables to enforce the M.S.V.A.
Therefore under the M.S.V.A. a S.T.O.P. Officer can carry out the same duties as a Police Officer by definition (Sec. 53 (3) Police Services Act) and may even make an arrest under Sec. 16(5) of the M.S.V.A.
Facts and Statistics about Snowmobiling - ISMA (International ...In 2009 there were 147,066 snowmobiles sold worldwide;
- 61,593 were sold in the U.S. and 49,510 were sold in Canada.
- The average annual household income for snowmobilers is $75,000.
- The average snowmobiler rides their snowmobile 1402 miles per year in North America.
- The average snowmobiler spends $4,000 each year on snowmobile-related recreation.
- Approximately 88% of all active snowmobilers are male; 12% female.
- 54% of the snowmobilers usually trailer their snowmobiles to go riding. 46% either snowmobile from their primary residence or have a vacation home where they keep and use their snowmobiles.
- Approximately 80% of snowmobilers use their snowmobile for trail riding and touring on marked and groomed trails. 20% of snowmobilers use their snowmobile for work, ice fishing or transportation.
- The average suggested retail price of a new snowmobile sold in 2009 was $8,800 (US Funds).
- There are approximately 1.65 million registered snowmobiles in the US and 765,275 registered snowmobiles in Canada.
- United States - $ 22 billion annually
- Canada - $ 6 billion annually
- Scandinavia - $1.6 billion annually
For more information:
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