The details of the crash and the cause are for authorities to unravel, but the fact that these mishaps continue are a reason to worry.
The fact is there are just too many of them.
Safety messages are preached ad infinitum and still riders are being injured and killed taking part in what is supposed to be a relaxing pastime.
These machines started out as work machines for those who needed to perform their work in remote areas but the recreation market has exploded over the years and they are now ubiquitous — meaning they can be seen and heard darn near anywhere at any time of the day or night.
And anywhere also means they can be seen all too often heading down public roads at a high rate of speed ... often operated by youngsters too small and slight of stature to control them.
In rural parts of this province, ATVs have been turned into licensed vehicles like cars and pickups.
Residents of small communities think little of swinging their legs over their trusty gas-driven steeds and heading off to the corner store on their little runabouts or visiting a neighbour down the road.
The carnage must be stopped but the question remains: who is going to stop it?
The police have enough to do and the safety message doesn’t seem to stick.
These machines were intended to be used where it’s hard for regular vehicles to get, and that makes it nearly impossible to catch rulebreakers until it’s too late.
Most of the time police arrive just in time to pick up the scattered pieces of steel and plastic and see an ambulance head off down the road with sirens blaring.
There may be a way to cure this problem, but no one has found it yet.
You just look at the police reports that keep coming out with the same sad message about broken limbs and shortened lives.
Correction, shawn: These machines are designed to sell...nothing more. It is legal to build them more powerful, and this appeals to the stupid...a lot. They will even pay more for them. And the resultant cost to health care and policing is not borne by the ATV dealer, nor the stupid buyer...it is borne by us. Let the good times roll.