Officials urge safe riding on the trails and roads

Published 9:05 am Monday, March 1, 2010

With four serious snowmobile crashes reported already this winter, local authorities are urging safety to snowmobilers for the rest of the snow season.

Bill Christianson, trail administrator with the Freeborn County Trail Association, said because there has been good snow cover this winter, people have been riding off the marked trails.

“They really need to stay on the trail,” Christianson said. “Stay within the marked areas.”

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Freeborn County has close to 250 miles of snowmobile trails, he said. The trails are groomed every day, and snowmobile volunteers have marked the trails. There is a speed limit on them of 50 mph.

Christianson said if people deviate from the trail, they are technically trespassing across other people’s property. They can get arrested for this, he noted, though this is difficult to enforce.

Speed limits and impaired driving are also enforced by state Department of Natural Resources conservation officers and Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

“They just need to use some caution, especially if they are unfamiliar with the area,” Christianson said. “There is a lot of riding going on. We hate to see any accidents, but we also are realistic.”

He said two of the four snowmobile crashes this year involved snowmobilers going off the marked path.

“People need to be careful because they’re hurting themselves,” said Freeborn County Sheriff Mark Harig.

Harig also pointed out the importance of being careful of things buried in the snow. He said a lot of signs and electrical boxes are covered with snow.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also offers several snowmobile safety tips:

Watch the weather and check trail conditions.

 Never ride alone. Always ride with a friend on another snowmobile.

Dress for safety and survival. Wear layers of clothing to keep warm and dry.

Don’t drink alcohol and ride. Alcohol is a factor in over 70 percent of all fatal crashes in the state.

Slow down. Excessive speed is another major factor in many snowmobile crashes. Keep speeds to 40 mph at night.

Stay right. Obey all trail signs and cross roadways.

Stay on the trail. Only ride private property when you have the property owner’s permission.

Avoid riding on lakes and rivers.

The following is a recap of the snowmobile crashes reported this winter:

The first snowmobile crash reported this year in Freeborn County was near the intersection of County Road 35 and Interstate 35 (Exit 22) west of Geneva, according to reports filed by the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office.

Daniel Devon Kenison, 55, was injured and taken to Albert Lea Medical Center by ambulance.

Two teenagers were injured Jan. 17 after a crash involving two snowmobiles near the intersection of U.S. Highway 69 and County Road 17.

The Sheriff’s Office report stated the driver of one snowmobile sustained a sprained ankle and a passenger of the same sled received a broken leg. Both people were treated at Albert Lea Medical Center.

Both snowmobiles were traveling on a designated trail; however, the report added that the terrain caused a blind spot, causing the two sleds to collide.

Thirty-two-year-old Cory Joe Allhiser died Feb. 8 after he was severely injured when his snowmobile went into a drainage ditch near Manchester.

Allhiser was treated at Albert Lea Medical Center and later transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

Sheriff’s Office reports regarding the incident state three snowmobilers were traveling together eastbound on the county’s trail system in Section 14 of Manchester Township. They became separated from one sled, turned around and backtracked to find the missing snowmobile and driver in the drainage ditch.

Jeffrey Englin of Hayward was injured in a snowmobile crash Friday, Feb. 19.

Sheriff’s Office reports state Englin was riding with a group of snowmobilers near Hall’s Lake in the southwest part of Manchester Township when his snowmobile crashed into a drainage ditch.

Englin was transported to Albert Lea Medical Center where he was treated for his injuries and released.