Home -  About us -  Contact Us -  Advertise  
*Click here to receive 3 free issues of Oswego County Business Magazine*

Snowmobiles: Safety Starts With Operators

Operating a snowmobile on public property in New York requires a registration, an approved safety helmet and, for youths, following training course guidelines. But the best way to safely sled is to use common sense.

Enrolling in a safety course or asking an experience operator for guidance will help you learn the ropes or brush up. It’s also important to make sure your snowmobile is working well before you hit the trails.

“Most people will turn their sled off in the spring and won’t look at it until they’re ready to fire it up,” said Mark Eagan, owner of Wheel-A-Way Motorsports in Fulton. “There could be lubrication points to be addressed, bearing problems, the tracks may need adjustment. Like anything in life, a little maintenance ahead goes a long way.”

Don’t embark on a long ride alone; traveling with a friend is always safer. You should at least tell someone else where you plan to ride and when you expect to return and bring a charged cell phone with you (although coverage may lapse in some areas).

You should also bring along any safety items you’d naturally carry in your car: a flashlight, extra gloves, maps (snowmobile maps are available at most dealerships), a first aid kit, tow rope and basic repair tools. Eagan recommends carrying extra plugs, plug wrenches, and isopropyl alcohol.

“When you pick up gas at some places, you may have water in the gas which will cause problems like freezing the lines,” he said.

Dress in layers so you can adjust when the temperature changes. Pack spare clothing in a plastic bag in case you break through a stream.

“There are a lot of casual streams that are deep enough where you could break through and get your feet wet,” Eagan said. “If your feet get wet, you will be cold. Especially in the end of snowmobile season, you can drop thru a spot where you didn’t know there was water.”

Watch for the signage placed on trails by area snowmobile clubs, but keep aware for unmarked crossroads or trails, oncoming traffic, and intersecting traffic. Ride single file and stop only in an open area where other operators will easily see you, “so someone coming over a hill won’t be surprised,” Eagan said. “Whatever you’d do on the highway, do that and a little more on a trail system.”

Watch out for wildlife, especially deer, which may feel especially stressed towards the end of the season when forage is harder to find. Slow down and allow them to leave the trail instead of chasing them or frightening them off.

Snowmobile: General Guidelines

The following guidelines from the Department of Motor Vehicles explain the regulations for youth operators:

• Youth ages 14 through 17 years old may operate a snowmobile, on lands upon which snowmobiling is allowed, without adult or other supervision if they have completed a snowmobile safety training course recognized by NYS.

• If youth ages 14 through 17 years have not completed the training course, they may operate a snowmobile if accompanied by (within 500 feet of) a person who is at least 18 years of age.

• Youth ages 10 through 13 may operate a snowmobile, on lands upon which snowmobiling is allowed, if they have completed a snowmobile safety training course recognized by the State of New York and are accompanied by (within 500 feet of) a person who is at least 18 years of age.

• Children less than 10 years old or less than age 14 without a safety certificate may operate a snowmobile only on lands owned or leased by their parent or guardian.