33-year-old man dies in ATV crash

A 33-year-old Eel River Bar man who wasn't wearing a helmet has died after losing control of his all-terrain vehicle on a forest road about 12 kilometres from Balmoral in northern New Brunswick. 

The ATV left an old IP road on a turn and collided with trees at about 3:30 a.m. Monday, said Sgt. ​Francois ​Cô​té of the RCMP in Campbellton.

"Due to the fact he wasn't wearing a helmet, the collision combined with branches and trees coming into [contact] with the operator's head, caused the male to die," he said.

Had the man worn a helmet, he might have survived, ​Cô​té said.

"I'm assuming if he would have ran off-road, the helmet would have protected his head from direct contact with branches and trees," he said. "It is possible it could have saved his life. It would have [given] him a chance at least."

 ​Cô​té said he didn't know if there were other factors in the crash, but the RCMP plan to speak with at least one witness who was following the man on another ATV. That person was not injured. 

The area is popular with ATV riders, ​Cô​té said, but he doesn't believe there have been any crashes in the past two years.

- With files from Karissa Donkin