Michigan Lags in Snowmobile Safety: Report

Michigan’s snowy winters and 6,200 miles of groomed trails make it a magnet for snowmobilers, but all that fun comes at a price.

The Detroit Free Press reported that more than 130 snowmobilers have been killed in Michigan since 2005 and hundreds more seriously injured despite fewer snowmobiles on trails because of a recession and higher gas prices.

At least nine people have been killed in snowmobile crashes this winter, and officials expect that number to go up before all the snow melts, the newspaper said.

Unlike other Great Lakes states that have reduced snowmobile deaths, Michigan hasn’t set speed limits or lowered the blood-alcohol level at which a snowmobiler is considered drunk.

And the Free Press said that while Wisconsin has stepped up enforcement in dangerous spots, law enforcement in Michigan is declining amid government budget cuts.

Michigan has seen a “significant reduction in enforcement and presence on the trails,” said Terrence Jungel, executive director of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association.

There are 408,000 snowmobiles registered or recently expired in the state, down from nearly 473,000 in 2005. But the sport is big business, attracting riders from around the country to snowy northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. The Michigan Snowmobile Association estimates that snowmobiling contributes $500 million a year in sales and tourism to the state’s economy.

Some insist the sport is still generally safe.

“A majority of people are safe,” said snowmobiler Craig Marchbank of Springfield Township. “It’s a safe sport as long as you respect the machine.”

But not everyone does.

A Free Press review of crash data since 2005 found that excessive speed was a factor in 29 percent of crashes on or near roadways, and alcohol was a factor in 18 percent. Data weren’t available for off-road crashes during that period, but the Department of Natural Resources said alcohol and speed are frequent contributors.

Lt. Andrew Turner, supervisor for recreational safety and enforcement and education efforts for the DNR, said the number of crashes and deaths has leveled off since the 1990s, when fatalities regularly topped 30 a year.

The DNR credits stronger education efforts about speeding and alcohol use in its safety classes and tougher stands against mixing alcohol with snowmobiling by groups like the Michigan Snowmobile Association.

Michigan does not have a maximum speed limit for snowmobilers and the threshold for illegal intoxication is 0.10 percent, compared with 0.08 percent for motorists. State Rep. Matt Lori, R-Constantine, a former sheriff, wants to see the 0.08 percent limit expanded to boats, off-road vehicles and snowmobiles.

Dan Barkley of Dearborn Heights said the death of his brother, James, who smashed into a tree while snowmobiling in February 2010, serves as a warning. Police said alcohol was involved, and Barkley said his brother may have been racing at more than 65 mph.

“I’ve seen people getting on sleds who had no business walking,” Barkley said. “There’s a lot of people out there making the same mistake, and they’re not going to like the outcome.”