Grieving family member pushes for snowmobile speed limits

After her cousin was struck and killed by a snowmobile on Feb. 6, Louise DeCaen started to petition the province to institute a speed limit on Ontario's rivers and lakes.

On Saturday, Feb. 6, snowmobile operator James Nathan Wright, 42, collided with Julie Piotrowski, 29, while travelling at a high rate of speed on the Murdoch River near Alban.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

DeCaen said Piotrowski's family was devastated after her death. “I see them suffering even more than what I'm going through,” she said. “We're powerless. There's nothing we can do.”

Piotrowski was married, with two young children, and is also survived by her parents and sister.

Police determined speed and visibility were both factors in the deadly collision. The crash happened around 6:30 p.m., when visibility was limited.

While there is a speed limit of 50 km/h on Ontario snowmobile trails, there are no limits posted on rivers and lakes that commonly host sledders.

Police can charge snowmobile operators if they operate their machines at a high rate of speed, to the point it becomes dangerous for themselves or others.

DeCaen would like the province to amend Motorized Snow Vehicles Act to implement speed limits on rivers and lakes.

To date, she has reached out to Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof to take her side and propose the changes to the government.

Vanthof said the first course of action will be to meet with the Ministry of Transportation and get its feedback on any potential amendments to the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act.

But Vanthof admitted it could be difficult to enforce universal speed limits for snowmachines.

“It's one thing to have a regulation, but if you have an unenforceable regulation, are you really fixing a problem?” he said.

DeCaen said she has spoken with some snowmobilers, and has gotten some support, but also some opposition.

“I've spoken with people who do snowmobile and they think 50 km/h is too slow,” she said. “There's going to be resistance.”

DeCaen added that even if a speed limit is not completely enforceable, a lot of people would respect the speed limit regardless, making lakes and rivers safer.

Bob Smith, president of the Coniston/Wahnapitae Driftbusters Snowmobile Club, said a speed limit would be impossible to enforce.

He said common sense is the best safety measure for outdoor enthusiasts, and added that he does not go out on his snowmobile at night, and steers clear of people travelling at high speeds on rivers and lakes.