ATV and Snowmobile Safety

ATVSafety1_RoadTodayRiding a snowmobile or an ATV can be an amazing outdoor experience. But before you hit the trails, make sure safety is part of the plan, especially around tracks and trains.

“All railway property – including railway yards and bridges – is private property,” says Stephen Covey, police chief for CN. “You should never ride an ATV or snowmobile on railroad property or take shortcuts across it, as these activities are dangerous and illegal and trespassers can be charged and/or fined. Safety is very much a shared responsibility if we are to avoid accidents.”

Here are some tips for riding your ATV or snowmobile safely:

• Cross only at designated locations.

• Ride on approved trails only (look for signs about approaching a railway crossing).

• Expect a train on any track, in either direction, at any time.

• Be especially cautious at night or in snowy conditions (both make it difficult to see obstacles, passing trains or railway crossings).

• Stop at railway crossings to ensure you don’t ride in front of or into the side of a passing train.

• Contact the railway (using the emergency number prominently posted at crossings) or call 911 immediately if your ATV or snowmobile gets stuck on a track or railway line.

• Keep in mind that helmets, engines, wind and weather may muffle the sound of an approaching train.

• Do not ride next to the tracks (locomotives and railway cars are wider than the rails).

Keep your communities safe and report any unsafe behaviour on railway property by calling CN Police at 1-800-465-9239.

More information about rail safety is available at www.operationlifesaver.ca.

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