Alcohol Growing Factor in Sled Mishaps

To the editor of the Sudbury Star

I read your article on the study of snowmobile incidents by the Canadian Institute for Health Information with great interest. It amazes me that this is being presented as new and surprising information since the results of studies done by local trauma Doctors Brian Rowe and Gary Bota in the early 90's provided similar statistics. Ms. Keresteci would not have been shocked at the alcohol involved rate if she had read this and other published studies going back over 20 years.

In response to a series of fatalities in Sudbury in 1992, OPP Sgt. Lynn Beach called a meeting of stakeholders including clubs, dealers, doctors, insurance people and police to see what could be done to improve things. Local Mayors got involved and Terry Kett of Walden became Chair of the Mayors and Citizens Task Force on Snowmobiling.

Armed with Drs. Rowe and Bota's study (and with their support), the task force determined that alcohol was the primary contributor to fatalities (approximately 70%) and a major factor in personal injury incidents. It was also determined that police did not have adequate manpower or equipment to maintain an effective enforcement presence on the trails. Based on a proposal by Norm Hein of the Sudbury Trail Plan, the Snowmobile Trail Officer Patrol was born. This consisted of a volunteer force of experienced sledders trained and given the authority to enforce the Motorized Snow Vehicle Act as well as area snowmobile by-laws, and assist police with alcohol interdiction on the trails.

A further study by the good doctors found that, in the three years before trail patrols, Sudbury experienced 15 fatalities of which 13 were alcohol involved. In the next three years, with an enforcement presence, there were four fatalities of which two were alcohol involved. The conclusion was that increased enforcement presence on the trails, made possible largely because of the S.T.O.P. volunteers and police working together and focusing on the root behaviours causing mishaps, was effective in reducing fatalities. A second study indicated the same effect on injury incidents. In 1995, the program was approved for expansion across the province.

So where is this landmark program today? There are significantly less S.T.O.P. officers in Ontario now than there were in 2000. Sudbury still has a presence on the trails due largely to the dedication of Norm Hein. I see Dr. Bourdon states that alcohol is a factor in 28% of Sudbury incidents compared to 49% nationwide and I suggest that S.T.O.P. and police activity here is a contributor to the lower levels. Elsewhere, expansion seems to have ground to a halt and recruitment is not up to replacing those who leave the program. Attempts to sell the concept to other provinces found resistance from police services who did not accept the idea of empowering highly trained volunteers. And the deaths and injuries continue.

Now there is another study stating that which is already known as if it is a new revelation. Meanwhile, a program which proved to be one very effective step in improving the situation languishes, largely due to a lack of real commitment and a failure to understand the original strategy by both snowmobile and police organizations.

When will we ever learn?