Snowmobile operators worse drink driving offenders than other drivers
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A police crackdown has revealed a greater frequency of alcohol intoxication among operators of snowmobiles than is the case among drivers of other motor vehicles.
Police constable Reijo Köngäs of the Mobile Police in Rovaniemi, who has investigated snowmobile accidents for more than ten years, says that alcohol is the biggest single problem in snowmobiling.
"It seems that in the flow of traffic under investigation, drink driving is decreasing slightly. Nevertheless, it is twice as frequent as in car traffic", Köngäs says.
"And if we examine fatal accidents, it is even more frequent. Of the 12 snowmobile accidents that led to death last year, alcohol was involved in 11 of them. In this respect, attitudes have deteriorated."
At the beginning of the decade, alcohol was involved in half of all fatal snowmobile accidents. The sharp increase surprised Köngäs.
"Alcohol is part of the way Finns enjoy their free time. When leaving one's own cabin, people know that out on the open lake there is no risk of being caught. After drinking, people also tend to forget their helmets and other security equipment", Köngäs says.
In fatal crashes, the blood-alcohol levels usually exceed the limits for aggravated drink driving.
Insurance payouts for injuries in snowmobile accidents have nearly doubled within a few years. Not all accidents make it into the statistics, and there is no precise information on the proportion of accidents leading to injury in which alcohol is a factor.
"At least here in Lapland, many say that they took a drink after the accident, because it hurt so bad", Köngäs says.
"Many do not go to the doctor until the next day, even if they are quite seriously injured. The only reason that I can see is that they are waiting for the alcohol to evaporate."
Snowmobiling has increased in popularity in recent years. Finland now has more than 100,000 registered snowmobiles. The vehicles have become more easy to operate and safer to drive.
Thanks to an increase in snowmobile rentals, the hobby is reaching a broader range of the population, leading to an rise in the number of accidents involving inexperienced operators.
There are more and better marked trails, which has led to a reduction in off-track snowmobiling. Nevertheless there still are reports of disruptive use of the loud vehicles.
"People will illegally ride along a road, a pedestrian and bicycle path, or a ski track. One or two snowmobilers can ruin the reputation of everyone", laments Petri Niska of the Rovaniemi office of the traffic safety organisation Liikenneturva.
The latest fatal accident involving a snowmobile took place in Padasjoki on Sunday evening, when two middle-aged men drove onto a forest vehicle road. An iron chain had been placed across the road to prevent vehicles from entering.
The two men had not noticed the chain, and collided with it. Both of them fell off the snowmobile. The 58-year old driver was killed, and the pillion rider escaped unhurt.
Police believe that alcohol was a factor in this latest accident as well.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 27.2.2006 - TODAY |
 Snowmobile operators worse drink driving offenders than other drivers
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