The Kennebecasis Regional Police Force (KRPF) are ramping up their efforts to ensure the use of all-terrain vehicles is done safely by increasing patrols on trails and educating the public.
“We’re worried about safety,” said community relations officer with the Kennebecasis police, Eugene Belliveau. “We are seeing ATVs on the highways and things, which is a dangerous issue.”
Thousands of New Brunswickers will ride ATVs this year, so to get ahead of what can be a trying situation for police, the local department held an information session in Quispamsis on Saturday to answer questions and go through best practices with residents.
“We get dozens of complaints of people being disturbed at night by loud ATVs going through their property,” said Belliveau. “We’ve had injuries, we’ve had deaths in New Brunswick and in the area.”
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Belliveau indicates anyone under the age of 16 operating an ATV is required to take a safety course, and that helmets should be worn by people of all ages whether driving or riding along.
The KRPF has recently purchased their own vehicle to help ensure trail users are doing so properly.
“We put this vehicle in service just a few months ago,” explained Officer Anika Becker. “There are members that are on the unit that will go and patrol the trails and areas … so that people can see that we are going to enforce the Off-road Vehicle Act.”
Our main concern is about safety, not necessarily to just give out tickets, but that is part of our role in order to change the behavioural patterns that have been unsafe to date.”
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