Knowing that the day soon comes when young snowmobilers reach an age when they can legally drive a machine unaccompanied by an adult, the Saskatchewan Snowmobile Association has made a special snowmobile safety course available online. The course is designed by Fresh Air Educators and meets the new statutory requirement that anyone born after January 1, 1989, must hold a Saskatchewan Snowmobile Safety Certificate.
Mosaic took the lead on Saturday, December 8th, and hosted a one-day session to help local youth complete the required snowmobile safety course online.
To their surprise, the youth found that there is more to snowmobiling than meets the eye. The youth ranged in age from 12 to 17 years. Some had been riding from a very young age-as young as three - whereas others have yet to talk their parents into buying a machine. Experienced or not, the snowmobiling safety course challenged the youth to consider the safety aspects of the sport - the need for regular maintenance inspections and precautions, survival know-how, the hazards of the sport, the provincial regulations, and the town bylaws.
The Mosaic Esterhazy site sponsored 16 youth to complete the online course (a value of $45 each) at the Esterhazy High School. All 16 youth passed the course with a mark of 80% or higher and now hold the required Saskatchewan Snowmobiling Safety Certificate.
Mosaic's Superintendent of Safety Training Randy Lang and volunteer Jeff Bomboir were available to field technical questions and lend their snowmobiling experience. Esterhazy SuperSledders member Chris Miller provided lunch. Esterhazy RCMP Cst. Morgan Preston met with the youth and reviewed the provincial and town regulations regarding snowmobiles.
A special 'Thank you' to Esterhazy High School for making a computer lab available.
