Eastern Ontario medical officer of health offers safety tips for ATVs

We're Paging Dr. Paul to talk about how you can stay safe while off-roading on an ATV this spring and summer!

Following a fatal all-terrain vehicle (ATV) collision in Ottawa’s west end last week, the medical officer of health and CEO of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit is warning residents to exercise caution while operating the four-wheeled vehicles.

“We’ve heard about the tragic death locally, but there’s a hundred deaths per year in Canada due to ATVs, so name of the game is prevention,” Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, A.K.A. Dr. Paul, said.

Dr. Paul joined CTV’s Your Morning Ottawa on Thursday to offer some safety guidance for ATV-riders.

• Man killed in ATV crash in Ottawa’s west end

Take an ATV training course

Dr. Paul strongly recommends people take an ATV training course to learn how to safely maneuver the vehicle before taking off.

“It’s not the same as driving a car. It’s kind of a halfway between a car and a motorcycle, right?” Dr. Paul said. “So, there’s different to balance, different ways you can turn and sway, because it can rollover.”

Dr. Paul recommends the ATV Rider Training course offered by the Canada Safety Council.

“A lot of these accidents, they roll over or they’re ejected. Most of them are rollovers, and it’s quite dangerous because it’s really hard to balance,” he said.

Equip yourself

Dr. Paul says the most important piece of safety equipment for ATV riders is a proper motorcycle helmet that will help prevent head injuries.

He also recommends knee and elbow pads as well as heavy clothing and long-sleeve shirts.

Control your speed

Given that ATVs are often driven on terrain that can be hilly, uneven or full of trees, Dr. Paul says it’s important to maintain a reasonable speed.

“A lot of the accidents I’ve been seeing are related to control of the speed,” Dr. Paul said.

“You can very easily top over if you’ve been going quickly. So, the slower you go, the better, the safer it is. Again, use your judgement but this is an important thing.”

Always drive sober

While most people are aware of the dangers of drunk driving, according to Dr. Paul, 50 per cent of all ATV deaths are related to impaired driving.

“That’s really, something that’s sad, it’s so preventable,” he said. “It’s really important to ensure that you take your course, watch your speed, but very importantly, drive sober.”

• Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App