Death of infant in ATV crash renewing talks on updating rules

Officials should take a look at ATV rules and regulations in Nova Scotia after the death of an infant in a side-by-side crash, according to the executive director of the All Terrain Vehicle Association of Nova Scotia (ATVANS).

The crash happened near New Ross on the evening of May 27. The RCMP said a side-by-side flipped onto its roof, killing an infant and seriously injuring two adults. The RCMP has said alcohol could have been a factor in the crash.

“I don’t want to place blame on anyone because I don’t know all the details involved, but (an infant in a side-by-side) is not something you see on the trails very often,” Barry Barnet, ATVANS executive director, told CityNews Halifax. “In fact I have never seen it.”

Barnet said the regulations currently in place were put together before the emergence of side-by-sides, and it’s worth taking a look to see if those rules should be updated.

“The only thing I could see that could impact this would be helmets, and I don’t know if there are helmets that are infant-sized, I can’t imagine,” he said. “So that would actually restrict a young person from riding in an ATV because of their inability to acquire and properly fit and wear a helmet.”

June is ATV Safety Month in Nova Scotia, and according to ATVANS, increasing ridership has seen a corresponding increase in deaths and injuries on the trails.

In 2023, the RCMP reported seven deaths and 27 injuries related to ATVs and the association said 2024 is trending ahead of last year in that respect.

Alcohol and drug use is a factor in 51 per cent of ATV-related fatalities, and not wearing a helmet is a significant factor too, Barnet said.

“Helmets are absolutely imperative,” he said. “A lot of people aren’t aware, particularly who ride side-by-sides, that helmets are required.”

The association recommends people take a safety course before heading out on the trails.