| The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that each year
about 110 people die while riding snowmobiles. The Commission estimates
that about 13,400 hospital emergency room-treated injuries occur each
year with snowmobiles. Approximately two-fifths or 40 percent of the
reported deaths resulted from colliding with trees, wires, bridges,
and other vehicles. Some deaths occurred when the snowmobile rolled
to the side in a ditch or stream and pinned the operator under the vehicle.
Deaths also have occurred when the snowmobile entered water, mostly
when it was operating on ice and fell through. |
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| CPSC
recommends the following safe snowmobiling rules for recreational
snowmobiling: |
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1.
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Never drive your snowmobile alone or on unfamiliar ground.
Have someone ride along with you, so you can help each other
in case of breakdown or accident.
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2.
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Drive only on established and marked trails or in
specified use areas. |
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3.
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Avoid waterways. Frozen lakes and rivers can be
fatal. It is almost impossible to judge adequate ice coverage
or depth. |
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4.
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Avoid driving in bad weather. Check warnings for
snow, ice, and wind chill conditions before starting. |
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5.
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Watch the path ahead to avoid rocks, trees, fences
(particularly barbed wire), ditches, and other obstacles. |
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6.
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Slow down at the top of a hill. A cliff, snowbank,
or other unforseen hazard could be on the other side. |
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7.
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Don't hurdle snowbanks. You have control only when
your skis are on the ground. |
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8.
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Learn the snowmobile traffic laws and regulations
for the area. Many states prohibit using snowmobiles on public
roads. Some states have minimum age requirements for drivers. |
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9.
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Be sensible about stopping at roads or railroad
tracks. Signal your turns to other drivers. Avoid tailgating.
Control speed according to conditions. |
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10.
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Use extra caution if driving at night, because unseen
obstacles could be fatal. Do not drive faster than your headlights
will allow you to see. Do not open new trails after dark. |
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11.
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Never drink while driving your snowmobile. Drinking
and driving can prove fatal. |
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12.
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Be sure the snowmobile is properly maintained in
good operating condition. Some cases report that the throttle
sticks, leading to loss of control. Snowmobiles manufactured before
1983 may not have a "throttle interruption device" designed to
shut off the snowmobile in the event the throttle sticks. |
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009403
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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public
from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types
of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report
a dangerous product or a product-related injury, you can go
to CPSC's forms page
and use the first on-line form on that page. Or, you can call
CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at
(800) 638-8270, or send the information to info@cpsc.gov.
Consumers can obtain this publication and additional publication
information from the Publications
section of CPSC's web site or by sending your publication
request to publications@cpsc.gov.
If you would like to receive CPSC's recall notices, subscribing
to the email list will send all press releases to you the day
they are issued.
This document is in the public domain. It may be reproduced
without change in part or whole by an individual or organization
without permission. If it is reproduced, however, the Commission
would appreciate knowing how it is used. Write the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission, Office of Information and Public
Affairs, Washington, D.C. 20207 or send an e-mail to info@cpsc.gov.
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Send
the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from
unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than
15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction.
Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents
cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is
committed to protecting consumers and families from products
that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard
or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety
of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette
lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly
to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries
associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury,
call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter
at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html.
Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at
CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.
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