Snowmobilers to face liability changes
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 30, 2009 | 8:34 AM AT
CBC News
Changes to New Brunswick's off-road vehicle legislation mean snowmobilers will soon have to take more responsibility for their actions.
'Most people get in trouble because they make very poor decisions.'—Ross Antworth, N.B. Federation of Snowmobile Clubs
In January, changes to the Off-Road Vehicles Act will protect snowmobile clubs and volunteers who groom trails against lawsuits from riders who aren't following the rules.
Some snowmobilers have tried to blame trail groomers and volunteers for accidents and mishaps on the more than 1,000 kilometres of snowmobile trails in the province.
"People were making poor decisions in their riding habits, then trying to blame the signage, or the condition of the trail or anything but themselves," said Ross Antworth of the New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs. "And unfortunately that's not the reality of what happens. Most people get in trouble because they make very poor decisions."
The federation will be working with the provincial departments of Public Safety and Tourism and Parks to develop signage for the trail system, said Antworth.
"But I can tell you right now that the initiative will be called Rider Responsibility and the key part of that is the riders need to make proper decisions about the time of day they ride, the speed they ride and all things related to the experience of riding a snowmobile," he added.
Liability has been a continuing issue, said Antworth, and he hopes this will clear things up for riders and volunteers.
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