EAST LANSING, MI / ACCESSWIRE / December 3, 2019 / The American Council of Snowmobile Associations (ACSA) and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) encourages snowmobiling among families, including youth riders.
"Snowmobiling is a great activity to do together as a family," said Scott Herzog, ACSA President. "It's very important to have all family members, especially kids, well-prepared and knowledgeable about safe snowmobiling."
Here are some guidelines from ACSA on developing responsible youth riders:
Right ride-Accidents can happen when children aren't riding a properly-sized snowmobile. Multiple manufacturers produce smaller vehicles with additional safety features including a high visibility whip flag for notification, easy to adjust governor to control the top speed and acceleration of the vehicle, kid-friendly controls and a removable ignition key.
Right gear-Before you let your child get on a snowmobile, make sure they are wearing properly fitting snowmobile gear that have no dangling scarves, laces or straps. It's particularly important that their helmets are properly sized. A helmet is the most important piece of safety equipment your kids will wear this snowmobiling season, so don't skimp on this necessary item.
Right education-Most states allow for independent snowmobile riders as young as age 10, but these young riders must complete snowmobile education safety and training classes (in a classroom or online) prior to receiving an operating license. Many manufacturers also have safety and training videos online as well. To find more information on youth riding or a schedule of snowmobile education classes, visit snowmobileinfo.org.
Right speed-Take it slow for the first few rides over various conditions for the novice rider to get used to handling a sled. Never over-ride your lights with a new rider (or anytime!), as it is unsafe and not a good lesson to impart.
"When a new rider, no matter the age, has a great first experience on a snowmobile, they will be fans of the sport for a long time," said Herzog.
The Safe Riders! Snowmobile Safety Awareness website www.snowmobileinfo.org provides essential and detailed materials pertaining to snowmobile safety in an easy-to-understand format.
For information on snowmobile associations and clubs, visit www.snowmobilers.org.
Contact:
Gretchen A. Monette
All Seasons Communications
Phone: 586-752-6381
Email: [email protected]
SOURCE: ACSA