How to buy a used snowmobile

Why are there so many Michigan snowmobile Fatalities?

Snowmobiling is a sport... it's a down right deadly sport... if you make it that way.  But why is it, there are so many snowmobile fatalities? Some are alcohol related, some are speed related and some are caused by riders who are totally unfamiliar with the area they're riding in.  What can be done to curb the number of snowmobile deaths each and every season?

One thing we know for sure, the less snow we acquire the less accidents occur.  Where the snow falls in the U.P. is important.  I call it snowfall accommodating.

Ordinarily during winter, the U.P. is sprawling with adequate snow fall; from north to south and from east to west.  In a typical season, thousands upon thousands of snowmobilers share a wealth of trails, linking one community to another through an elaborate network of snowmobile travel.

Disconnect any one of those links by the lack of significant snowfall to an area and you have limited trail distances.  In short, the snowfall short-fall confines a large snowmobile population to a snow-rich area, and thus the more traffic and activity levels to it.  Throughout that activity you'll find a higher degree or percentage of riders funneled in to it. The good, bad and the ugly all confined to a limited degree of travel.

Snowmobiling to most all snowmobilers is about traveling through the winter out of doors; the independence, the solitude, freedom to explore and most of all, a winter outdoor travel vacation from mass confusion. 

Add a few thousand snowmobilers (good, bad and ugly) to a confined area, and pretty soon you discover you haven't escaped anything, but rather joined another mass confusion Mecca.

Snowmobiling isn't fun at all when you're traveling a straight, groomed trail at 50 mph and your day is filled with sleds passing you by at 100 mph or more.  Snowmobiling isn't any fun when you round a hair-pin corner and find yourself nearly side-swiped by a trail hog several times out the day. 

If snowmobile trails were spanned out further and having adequate snowfall, trail tension would be reduced considerably.  But not so when confined to limited areas of travel.

I've lived here in the U.P. going on 16 years.  Before 1991 I never sat on a snowmobile.  I like to believe I saw the best of times.  These days here in the U.P. without adequate trail distance, I keep mine.

I totally refuse to travel on weekends, I've put my life in jeopardy a few time doing so. Not any more.  Travel at night?  Not anymore as well.  Trailer in my sled to snow filled areas?  No longer.  If I can't leave my residence and hit the trails to a decent trail network, I don't go.

A whole lot of factors can be described why there are so many snowmobile related fatalities.  One fact remains. Herding a large population of snowmobile machines to confined areas certainly adds to the equation. Keeping your distance from limited trail distances will certainly keep you out of the headlights of a possible snowmobile trail statistic. A shortened snowmobile season due to a lack of snowfall should result in LESS snowmobile related fatalities... one would think.

Michigan Snowmobile Fatalities

- 2009 ~ 2010 Michigan Snowmobile Fatalities
Adobe PDF file listing "up to date" Michigan snowmobile season fatalities from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

- 2008 ~ 2009 Michigan Snowmobile Fatalities
Adobe PDF file listing 2008 - 2009 Michigan snowmobile season fatalities from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

- 2007 ~ 2008 Michigan Snowmobile Fatalities
Adobe PDF file listing 2007 ~ 2008 Michigan snowmobile season fatalities from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

- 2006 ~ 2007 Michigan Snowmobile Fatalities
Adobe PDF file listing 2006 - 2007 Michigan snowmobile season fatalities from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

- 2005 ~ 2006 Michigan Snowmobile Fatalities
Adobe PDF file listing 2005 - 2006 Michigan snowmobile season fatalities from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Snowmobile Safety Resources

- Snowmobile Safety
The risks of snowmobiling can be minimized by using good equipment and common sense. Valuable snowmobile trail safety links, articles and more.

- Drunk Driving (DUI) Driving Under the Influence
Operating a motor vehicle, or for that matter even a bicycle or other human-powered vehicle, after consuming alcohol or other drugs so that mental and motor skills are impaired is recognized as an act of driving under the influence (DUI) or drunk driving.

- Why are there so many snowmobile related fatalities
Besides the most common, there are other reasons that contribute to winter snowmobile fatalities.

- National snowmobile season crash and accidents news articles
Updated National snowmobile news- articles, news stories, fatalities and much more. Updated daily!

- Family Law and Drunk Driving Facts
Here are some interesting drunk driving facts that aren’t commonly discussed but important to those who may be potentially facing a DUI or drunk driving related offense.

- Wisconsin Snowmobile Safety Awareness Week
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has declared that January 9th thru the 15th is the official “Snowmobile Safety Awareness Week.”

- Wisconsin Drunk Driving News
Who's who, drunk driving in the news? Keep updated with our Wisconsin Drunk Driving News and Information Updates.

Snowmobile Related Articles of Interest
Our collection of resourceful snowmobile articles on snowmobiling, winter, weather, safety and more.  How to buy a used snowmobile.  How to avoid snowmobile crashes.

Snowmobile Facts and Information
Got time on your handle grips before the snow falls?  Here are some great snowmobile facts and information to keep you busy while you wait.

Area Snowmobile News Articles Published