RCMP crack down on N.L. underage ATV drivers, but hit roadblocks with parents

With seven investigations involving youths since the start of the school year, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police say they are taking a firm approach to curbing underage ATV use.

The cases vary in location and details — including a 12-year-old from Anchor Point riding in the middle of Highway 430 on the Northern Peninsula, a 14-year-old getting stuck in a bog hole while trying to evade the cops, and a 12-year-old driving back and forth to school in Buchans.

Despite issuing charges and warnings, police say they're having a hard time getting the message across to some parents.

"They're not buying into what you're selling, they don't understand the risks that are there," said RCMP Cpl. Jolene Garland. 

"They seem to think it was fine when they grew up and, you know, it should be fine for their children as well."

Across the province, enforcement of ATVs on roadways has been a hot-button topic for years.

In 2016, Gander considered a proposal to ban all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles from being driven on town streets.

And last year in Bay Roberts, the mayor was vocal about parents who allow their kids to drive on the main roads.

Garland said the mentality in rural Newfoundland and Labrador is based on a culture of ATV use.

"In some of our smaller communities, you get that culture and that mentality that this is OK or permittable — a normal thing, a day-to-day thing," she said. 

"We've seen children that have been using that as a mode of transportation to and from school. It's not acceptable, it's not legal, and it's not safe."

'It's not my kid'

Provincial legislation states a person must be at least 16 years of age to operate an ATV unsupervised. At age 14 and 15, a child can operate small ATVs of 90cc or less.

Rick Noseworthy spends most of his time advocating for safety on the province's trail system.

As the president of the Avalon T'Railway Corporation, he sometimes grows frustrated with the stubbornness and "hereditary blindness" displayed by parents.

"They all say, 'Well, it's not my kid,'" Noseworthy said. "'My kid is a responsible rider. He's a great driver.'"

The T'Railway group partners with the RCMP to bring education and awareness programs to young people in communities around the Avalon Peninsula.

Noseworthy focuses on safety tips, while the RCMP talk rules and regulations.

In some cases, they bring in paramedics and police officers that have responded to gruesome, deadly crashes to share their real-life experience.

Saving one life saves an awful lot of grief for families — not just now, but for years to come.- Rick Noseworthy, safety advocate

"The RCMP officer will speak about what he has seen as an officer, and having to knock on the door of a child and tell the parent that their kid has been killed in an ATV accident," Noseworthy said. "It's very gripping and very effective."

Noseworthy said he never lets the frustration get the best of him. He's learned to identify with the struggles faced by groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, when you preach the same rules over and over, but keep seeing avoidable tragedies.

He's adopted a modest outlook on his training efforts: just get through to one kid.

"Saving one life saves an awful lot of grief for families — not just now, but for years to come," said Noseworthy.

For Garland and the RCMP, they'll keep preaching safety until it gets through to as many parents as possible.

Their message to parents is a simple one.

"Please don't allow [your kids] to take it without that supervision, because they may make poor decisions that can certainly change your life for the long run."