January 12, 2000

Snowmobile class for young riders stresses safety first

By Garret Leiva
Herald editor
       Today's snowmobile rider faces a multitude of must-haves: electric start, studs, carbides, twin pipes. Mark Gleason, however, wants young riders to remember the most important item - safety.
      Working with sponsors from the Traverse Region Conservation Club, Traverse Trail Travelers and Grand Traverse Archers, Gleason guided a class of 97 students between 12 and 17 years old through a safety course this past Friday and Saturday.
      Held at the Conservation Club in Blair Township, the two-day class provided young riders an opportunity to earn a snowmobile safety certificate which allows them to travel outside their private property.
      Before taking the 50 question test, however, students first learned the rules of the road governing snowmobiling, safety checklists, first aid, proper clothing and riding techniques. Topics that some riders might not explore before hopping on a snow machine.
      "A lot of the safety instruction they receive in this class they will not get elsewhere," noted L.D. Hoaglund, vice-president of Traverse Trail Travelers snowmobile club.
      To help prepare young riders, the sponsors brought in representatives from the Department of Natural Resources and Munson Medical Center's North Flight.
      Speaking Friday evening, the DNR official gave students an overview of the new snowmobile laws and regulations including riding on roads, speed limits, and helmet safety laws. Students then discussed first aid techniques such as splinting a broken arm out in the woods, neck injuries and hypothermia with the Emergency Medical Technician representative.
      On Saturday, the class gathered again, this time to explored pre-ride safety checklists, parts of the snow machine, hand signals, trail signs and proper riding techniques. Later that afternoon, each student took a 50 question test required for the state of Michigan snowmobile safety certificate. This piece of paper, Gleason said, must be carried by those under 17 years old when operating a snowmobile in areas other than their own private property.
      With snowmobiles capable of running 100 mph out of the packing crate, Gleason stressed that excessive speed can have deadly results; especially when combined with young riders desire to show off.
      "I would say one of the most common mistakes this group of riders makes is feeling that they're bulletproof and wanting to show off to a friend," Gleason said.
      "When you're not watching what you're doing is when you run into a tree or hit a bump too hard and fly off your machine."
      While the snowmobile safety class offered several tips, checklists and rules of thumb for young riders, Gleason gave students these words of advice.
      "I tell them, 'don't override your hind end.' There is no other way to explain it but keep your seat planted and ride accordingly," he said. "Riders need to know that they can't hit these bumps at 100 mph. It's all about using your head and making common sense decisions."