Tooling around on a four-wheeler, side-by-side or another all-terrain vehicle is a fun activity for many.
At the same time, it can be dangerous.
Just this year, two men lost their lives in the Brainerd lakes area in ATV crashes. On May 27, a 42-year-old Pequot Lakes man was killed when the Polaris Ranger he was operating left a driveway at a residence in rural Pequot Lakes, crashing into a tree, ejecting him and two passengers. Operator Steve Verville was pronounced dead at the scene and one of his passengers, Kevin Rogers, 51, Breezy Point, who was seriously injured in the crash, died June 22 at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.
The Cass County Sheriff's Office responded to this fatality and eight other personal injury crashes relating to ATVs so far this year. Sheriff Tom Burch said the sheriff's office responded to 15 ATV crashes in 2014 and of those, five resulted in injuries; in 2015 there were 17 crashes and 13 included injuries; and in 2016 there were 18 crashes and 16 included injuries.
Memorial Day weekend was particularly bad for crashes in Cass County, where deputies responded to three ATV crashes in addition to the fatality. One crash occurred when an Arctic Cat ATV was traveling on an ATV trail when it lost control and overturned, pinning the driver underneath, in rural Backus. The driver, 57-year-old Kevin T. Baker from Somerton, Ariz., was transported to a Twin Cities hospital via North Memorial Air Care.
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The second crash was in the Foot Hills State Forest area, where Timothy F. Czech, 22, Marshall, was driving a 2005 Yamaha ATV on an ATV trail when he lost control and fell off the machine. The driver was transported to Essentia Health-St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd. The third crash was in Remer Township, where a Polaris Sportsman was traveling on a roadway when it lost control and rolled several times, striking a mailbox and injuring both the driver and passenger. Both parties were transported by Remer Ambulance Service to the Deer River Hospital and the second person was then transported via air care to a Duluth hospital.
Crow Wing County has seen fewer ATV crashes than Cass County.
Capt. Scott Goddard of the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office said the county had four ATV crashes resulting in injuries in 2014; three in 2015; five in 2016 and six so far this year. All of the crashes involved juveniles. After these numbers were reported, the county added one more to its list. The sheriff's office responded to the scene of an ATV personal injury crash at 12:22 p.m. Saturday, where the driver was doing landscaping work near a garage when the four-wheeler tipped over a steep embankment and pinned him underneath the ATV.
"The most common complaints we get are young kids operating ATVs without helmets, or the operator is driving too fast or driving recklessly," Goddard said. "I would like to remind people to always wear their helmet, to not drink and ride, to make sure all operators, both youth and adults, take an ATV riders course before riding and for riders to be respectful of the trails and other areas where their ride.
"These machines continue to get more powerful and can reach very high speeds. A full-size machine weighs enough to crush and cause serious injury or death to any size person."
Goddard said when looking over all the driving complaints on ATVs, he estimated half are reported as juvenile drivers.
Crow Wing County responded to three ATV crashes in the past month. On June 23, a driver and two passengers were injured when an ATV crashed at Lakes Jam at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd. The driver was arrested for criminal vehicular operation and driving under the influence.
On July 1, a 20-year-old Waite Park man suffered a broken leg when he was struck by an ATV at BIR. On July 5, a 16-year-old crashed an ATV into a power pole near the intersection of Paradise Beach Road and County Highway 22, south of Brainerd. The teen and a 17-year-old passenger were injured.
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Unlike Crow Wing County, Burch said Cass County doesn't see a lot of youths riding ATVs.
Burch said this year, there seems to be an influx in the number of riders out on the trails. He said the county sees a fair number of ATVers riding on the Spider Lake ATV Trails near Pine River. Spider Lake has 20 miles of trails traveling through the Foot Hills State Forest.
Burch said overall, Cass County deals with about 100 calls for service relating to ATVs, which typically are people reporting illegal operations or careless driving. Burch said they see a higher number of crashes in the late spring/early summer, and then it slows down when temperatures get hot. Then it picks up again in the fall, when temperatures fall and there are fewer mosquitoes.
Cass County works with area ATV clubs, particularly with the Woodtick Wheelers out of Hackensack, on ATV safety.
"The biggest thing is for people to take the ATV training courses and for riders to know their limitations on what they can or can't do," Burch said. "And don't add alcohol. A lot of the crashes we respond to are inexperienced drivers and speed. Operators are not as stable as they would be on an Off-Highway Vehicle.
"We see crashes on the trails and on the roadways."
Burch also encouraged riders to wear protective safety gear and to obey the laws when it comes to operating an ATV.
There are several ATV clubs in the Brainerd lakes area that promote safety and want families to enjoy riding on the ATV trails across the state. Clubs include the Cuyuna Iron Range Riders Club based in Ironton; Central Lakes ATV Club in Nisswa; Central Minnesota Wheelers in Fort Ripley; Pine Center Sportsmen Club in Brainerd; the Woodtick Wheelers in Hackensack; and the Over The Hills Gang ATV Club in Emily/Outing.
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Central Lakes ATV Club President Kevin Kiehlbauch doesn't think there are more ATV crashes this year than in the past. However, he said there are a lot of crashes not being reported as operators were most likely speeding.
"There are many riders out there, and the percentage is pretty small for those who get injured or get into an accident," Kiehlbauch said. "It's like everything, it's about safety and accidents do happen.
"We want people to wear proper gear, know their limitations and be aware of their surroundings and the trail conditions."
Kiehlbauch said 90 percent of the riders on trails do wear their safety gear, such as their helmets and safety glasses. However, not all operators wear safety gloves or the right type of clothing.
"I see a lot of people wearing shorts, and this isn't a good idea," Kiehlbauch. "With all the branches and sticks along the trail you will get your hands and legs scraped up if not wearing the proper gear."
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources requires ATV riders born after July 1, 1987, and who are 16 years or older, to complete one of the ATV safety online courses to meet certification requirements. People do not have to live in Minnesota to take the training. Those under age 16 must pass the online course and attend the Hands-On ATV Safety Training Class to complete their ATV/OHM safety certification.
The hands-on training includes students learning basic ATV operation, protection of the environment, common ATV parts and controls, Minnesota laws and rules and ATV riding skills for trails. Then, they must demonstrate their skills on an ATV course.
Effective July 1, youths ages 6-15 must complete the online ATV safety course and the hands-on ATV riding training. A parent must be present during the hands-on training portion for youths ages 6-10.
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Kiehlbauch said what this new requirement means is children ages 6-11 can take the ATV classes, but they can't legally drive until age 12.
"This is a good thing," he said. "This gives the youth the training they need to operate an ATV and their parents also have to take the class."
The Central Lakes ATV Club will host its ATV safety training Aug. 26 at the Crow Wing County Fairgrounds in Brainerd. Those interested can go on the DNR's website at www.dnr.state.mn.us to register for the online safety training course.
The DNR also has a trail ambassador program that exists to promote safe, environmentally responsible operation of OHVs through informational, educational contacts and monitoring efforts. Oversight and management of the program is the responsibility of the DNR Division of Enforcement, Safety/Education section.
