After surviving an ATV crash, this rider is among those calling for mandatory safety training
More than 1,700 people hospitalized, 69 killed in Manitoba off-road vehicle crashes in past decade
Don Eidse still isn't sure exactly how he ended up lying on the ground next to his rolled-over ATV.
While out for a ride on his all-terrain vehicle with friends on a remote trail in eastern Manitoba in 2020, he somehow managed to roll over while taking a seemingly routine corner.
What happened next was terrifying.
"The next thing I remember was being in an ambulance and they're taking my clothes off, they're taking my helmet," Eidse said.
"[Then] I'm in Health Sciences Centre and they're wheeling me around and … I'm getting dizzy."
He lost consciousness and was later diagnosed with a brain bleed. Luckily, the group of about 10 riders he was with knew what to do.
Among them was a paramedic who determined Eidse could be transported, so he was put on a side-by-side off-road vehicle and taken from the trail to the nearest road, where an ambulance picked him up.
Eidse, who is one of a growing number of people injured on ATVs in Manitoba, is also among those calling for mandatory safety training in the province for ATV users, so they have the best chance of avoiding problems or dealing with them if something does go wrong.
WATCH | Don Eidse describes his ATV crash:
He spent 15 years as an organizer for ATV associations in Manitoba, and took a course himself when he began learning how to ride an all-terrain vehicle.
"And I would say I wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for that course," he told CBC from Alberta, where he now lives.
Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information shows that in the 10 fiscal years from 2013 to 2022, there were 1,703 hospitalizations associated with ATVs or other off-road motor vehicles in Manitoba, for an average of 170 hospitalizations per year.
Hospitalizations increased notably during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 205 in 2020 and 209 in 2021. That number dipped to 182 in 2022, but was still above the 10-year average.
'Safety training is essential'
Eidse said his own accident came without warning.
"I honestly don't know what happened because we went around the corner, but I rolled over," he said.
"The next person who came around the corner saw me lying there and my ATV upside down. And of course, they let out a shrill — you know, she was really concerned."
When the rest of the group didn't see Eidse, "they stopped and then they heard the scream and … came back," he said.
The experience showed him that even when a group of ATV riders are driving responsibly and using safety equipment, things can easily go wrong, Eidse said.
"I did have a full face helmet on. I had all the proper gear on. And even under the most ideal circumstances, it tells you how close things can get."
It could have been worse, he said.
"I know of too many stories of people who were riding by themselves or riding in improper situations where things did not go as well … sometimes tragic outcomes," Eidse said.
"If anything, it just brings to my mind more so — safety training is essential."
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Roland Fillion was out on the trail the day Eidse crashed. He also wants to see mandatory safety training in Manitoba.
"I think it would be a great idea. I think it would eliminate a lot of unnecessary injuries and unnecessary fatalities," Fillion said.
He believes Eidse was thrown off his ATV after he hit tree roots, and the vehicle rolled.
"We weren't sure if it rolled on top of him or not, because he was out on the ground and he was unconscious," Fillion said.
"I had to keep talking to him or whatnot just to kind of, you know, keep him alert."
He also said the accident shows how quickly something can go wrong.
"You're having fun, you're just out for a ride, just enjoying the scenery and the company … and then all of a sudden something like this happens and turns it totally ugly."
Data from the Manitoba Office of the Chief Medical Examiner shows there were 69 deaths related to all-terrain/off-road vehicles from 2013 to 2022. Ten involved people under age 18.
By comparison, there were 55 deaths from snowmobile accidents in the same time period, three of which involved minors.
"I'm quite shocked at the fatalities, that they're that high," Eidse said.
"That tells me right away … people are engaging in dangerous activities on ATVs. And I love ATVing, but you have to be considerate. You have to realize the dangers of it."
225 charges in 2023: RCMP
The provincial government has not said whether it intends to make ATV driver safety training mandatory.
In a statement to CBC, a government spokesperson said the province "regularly reviews safety protocols and compares successful changes and improvements from multiple jurisdictions, and is always open to new ideas that could reduce injuries and save lives."
As for enforcement of the regulations governing off-road vehicles, RCMP say they have laid 225 charges under the Off-Road Vehicle Act in 2023, up to the end of October.
They include offences such as 30 charges for failing to wear a helmet — a $174 fine.
Two tickets were issued for a youth under the age of 14 operating an off-road vehicle without being in clear view of a parent or authorized adult. Another four tickets were issued where an owner allowed an unsupervised youth under 14 to operate an off-road vehicle.
Manitoba law allows children under 14 to drive an off-road vehicle as long as they're supervised by a parent or an adult authorized by the parent.
Eidse said one mistake affecting young ATV riders is that they're often allowed to ride the wrong vehicles.
"Unfortunately, sometimes parents want to let their kids have fun, and they buy a machine that is far too big for them," Eidse said.
Raise minimum age for driving ATVs: RM mayor
In the rural municipality of Taché, southeast of Winnipeg, Mayor Armand Poirier said he's also concerned about youths driving ATVs. Complaints about the vehicles being driven in towns have ended up in discussions at municipal council meetings, he said.
"People should have the common sense not to be riding these vehicles through town, especially not at a high speed. And allowing children to operate these vehicles — it's doubly dangerous," Poirier said in an interview with CBC.
WATCH | Taché mayor responds to the loss of lives in off-road vehicle accidents:
He wants an education campaign to increase awareness about the regulations governing ATVs in Manitoba.
"Start teaching people about the perils of unsafe riding, not wearing helmets, having juveniles operating these machines and operating the machines in places that they're not approved for — on our streets and roads, for example," Poirier said.
He also favours making 16 the minimum age for driving an off-road vehicle.
One of the recent ATV-related fatalities in Manitoba was a young man from Poirier's municipality who died last August.
"It's very sad. It's the end of a young life that was full of promise. And it affects … the family and the extended family and the neighbors and all the people that were in any way connected to this individual," Poirier said.
"We all lose something when someone dies in circumstances like that, and there's no recovering. Yes, we can learn how to grieve, but the person never comes back.… It's indescribable."
New Manitoba legislation
The province says safety education and training will get a boost through an estimated $2 million expected to be generated annually by new registration fees.
Manitoba Public Insurance, which handles registration for ATVs used anywhere other than on the owner's private property, says there are 88,955 registered off-road vehicles in Manitoba. That includes 35,532 ATVs and 36,580 snowmobiles, along with other types of off-road vehicles.
The Off-Road Trails Safety and Maintenance Act will add an extra $25 fee for annual off-road vehicle registrations starting next April.
Money will be used for projects such as trail maintenance and development, along with safety education and training.
Organizations such as the All-Terrain Vehicle Association of Manitoba (ATVMB) and Snoman (Snowmobilers of Manitoba), a non-profit organization representing snowmobiling clubs that maintain trails, will get funding through the fee.
Dan Lester, executive director of the ATV association, said the legislation changes are "moving in the right direction."
"ATVMB is a strong proponent of education and safety, especially for the youth of Manitoba," he told CBC.
If the province proposes new changes to regulations governing ATVs, "we will support all enhancements for safety," Lester said.
Parachute, a national charity dedicated to preventing serious injuries, favours mandatory ATV driver safety training across the country and a phased approach to driver ages, with a minimum age of 14 to operate an ATV on the condition the youth is supervised continuously by an adult.
Most ATV-related deaths are caused by flips and rollovers, said Stephanie Cowle, Parachute's director of knowledge translation.
"We do see a significant number of head injuries and crushing injuries from the weight of the vehicles. And that information is really helpful for us to understand how to keep people safe," she told CBC in an interview.
"Unfortunately folks can get trapped, sometimes trapped in an area where there's water as well. So the impact can be quite devastating."
Eidse said he hopes improved safety standards would help more people enjoy the beauty of nature on ATV trails — something he still does, in spite of his accident.
"The special moments that go along with it is what make it so enjoyable," he said.
"I had a deer run along beside me … full antlers, full size. And it is just the most awesome thing to see, you know," said Eidse.
"It's a breathtaking experience."
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