EMT’s warn of ATV safety during the busy holiday weekend
ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) - We are headed into the last weekend of summer, and emergency officials want to remind us that if we’re going to be riding on ATVs, safety equipment is everything.
Island Park EMS President Ray Ball says they have seen a big increase in ATV accidents this year and if you are planning to ride, safety equipment could save your life.
"Any kind of riding you have got to go expecting to have an accident so helmets gloves, chest gear if you’re on motorcycles, anything you can do to help increase your outcome could be the difference between life and death absolutely."
Jackson Young is a competitive racer that also loves riding in the mountains. He has been riding for a couple of years and at just nine years old, he knows how important safety equipment is.
"So when you’re riding you don’t get too hurt and you don’t crash too hard. I have crashed before and this gear saved me."
Jackson’s mom Toni says she has one non-negotiable rule, no safety equipment no riding.
"There are so many things that can go wrong whether it’s mechanical or them not riding properly because They’re just learning you just never know what's going to happen. Our kids race so we’ve seen some pretty gnarly accidents and the gear always helps either mitigate the injuries or stop them completely so it’s our kids don’t leave on their bikes without a helmet ever."
Emergency officials in the Island Park area say they have been called to way too many accidents this year of people that were not wearing proper equipment while riding.
Young has a checklist of what he needs before he rides.
"Most important is definitely the helmets so you don’t crack your head open or something, chest plate second-best you don’t want to crash too hard on your chest, third is the boots you definitely want the boots so you don’t run over your feet too hard. And they keep ankle injuries less common."
Ball says they love having people up riding in the mountains but they just want everyone to use their heads and stay safe.
"We don’t want to distract or discourage anyone from coming to the area it’s a beautiful place to be. When you do come slow down, pay attention, and wear your helmet. "
Island Park is especially busy on Labor Day weekend, so another thing Emergency Responders want to remind everyone to do is to be aware of other riders in the area. They say they want to see you out having fun, not in the back of their ambulance.
