Living in the Valley, Aidan Hominuk said he and his friends love getting out in the bush on their ATVs for some fun.
The Grade 12 student at Confederation Secondary School was among 10 students at the high school to recently receive a little education on how to take part in their hobby in a safe and responsible manner.
Greater Sudbury Police and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry delivered an in-class education component on ATVs on June 2.
The students and law officials then took a 50-kilometre ATV ride on June 7, leaving from Nelson Lake Road early that morning.
Hominuk said he admits he and his friends have gotten themselves into a few tight spots while out adventuring on their ATVs, such as getting stuck.
He said he appreciated learning about how to avoid situations where he might become unsafe.
“It’s better to be safe on a quad … a quad can always take your life in a matter of seconds, no matter how you drive, right?” Hominuk said.
The teen added that riders also need to keep an eye for animals and other riders, too.
“It’s a small chance, but you never know, there may be a deer or something that runs out into the middle of the trail and you hit it. It's always better to be safe on a quad, be attentive and drive the speed limit, just to be safe all around.”
Greater Sudbury Police Const. Al Brunette of the police service’s rural unit said the ATV education program was inspired by S-Days at Lively District Secondary School, which focuses on snowmobile safety.
“There are fatalities on ATVs as well, I would say probably more so on snow machines, however, it definitely occurs on ATVs, and it's something that we want to try to prevent,” he said.
Brunette said he also teaches the teens about rules under the Highway Traffic Act, as well as respecting property rights and not trespassing.
“Having this opportunity to engage with, teach and share knowledge with the youth in the city is a great opportunity to do this beforehand instead of meeting them on the trail and being noncompliant,” he said. “So this is a good opportunity for them to learn beforehand.”
Rainbow District School Board Director of Education Bruce Bourget thanked the Greater Sudbury Police Service for initiating the pilot program with support from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Provincial Police.
“Incorporating a hands-on component to the training makes it that much more effective,” he said, in a press release. “Building awareness among young people will foster safe use, promote respectful riding and prevent possible injuries. This program can also serve as an optional certification for students in the Specialist High Skills Majors.”
Confederation Secondary School will launch a new Environment SHSM this fall.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s associate content editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.
