A fatality inquiry into the 2007 death of an Alberta boy has raised the issue of age restrictions for ATV-riding. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

A fatality inquiry into the death of a 12-year-old Alberta boy is recommending stricter rules for ATV-riding.

Kirkland Gour died after his ATV rolled over near his home in the Peace River area on Nov. 18, 2007.

The fatality inquiry found that Gour's ATV rolled because he swerved while driving around his eight-year-old cousin.

When it rolled, the ATV's front rack pinned Gour's neck to the ground. He died of blunt trauma.

Gour's cousin was too small to be able to lift the ATV off and instead ran to get help.

The inquiry found that the ATV might have been too big for Gour to handle, and questioned whether he had enough training to operate the machine safely.

It suggested age and size restrictions should apply to anyone riding an ATV on public land, although Gour was on private land at the time.

As it stands, there are no age restrictions on riding ATVs in Alberta.

More rider education needed

The inquiry report reflected mixed opinions on the age issue. One member of the panel suggested nobody under age 16 should be able to operate an ATV, while two others suggested it's OK for a six-year-old to ride one, as long as it's a smaller quad in the 70-cc. range.

Passengers should be prohibited on ATVs not built for that purpose, the inquiry recommended.

The inquiry also suggested more rider safety courses are needed in the province.

Todd Lamond, a member of the Calgary Quad Squad, said there currently aren't many of those courses on offer.

"They're there, [but] they're hard to find, they're not well publicized," he said. "Obviously it isn't a legal requirement to have these training programs like this yet, so it's not high on the radar of most people."

Gour, an experienced motocross racer, wasn't wearing a helmet, but the inquiry found that wouldn't have helped.

The inquiry also found earlier medical intervention likely couldn't have prevented the death, even though the boy was left beneath the ATV for 20 to 30 minutes.

In 2009, 177 people in Alberta were involved in ATV accidents, 11 of whom died as a result.

Peace River is about 480 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.