Change the law, prevent ATV accidents

Kativik Regional Government councillors encouraged president Johnny Adams to continue efforts to amend Quebec’s laws on all-terrain vehicles at their meeting last week in Kuujjuaq.

“A lot of people have been hospitalized,” said mayor Jusipi Annahatak of Kangirsuk. “How can we begin to deal with this?”

The KRG has been lobbying to have ATV’s become legal on Nunavik public roads. The KRG also wants a provincial vehicle bureau, la Société d’Assurance automobile du Québec to be located in Kuujjuaq or have the KRG mandated to deliver the services.

“If we continue with the status quo we’re going to see more people getting into accidents. We have to start somewhere,” said KRG executive member and speaker George Kakayuk of Salluit.

The current law already makes the wearing of helmets mandatory for drivers and passengers of ATVs and snowmobiles.

The councilors acknowledged that getting residents to respect every aspect of the law, including wearing helmets, means the Quebec highway safety law must be amended to reflect the wide use of off-highway vehicles on the region’s roads.

“We don’t have the luxury of time to deal with this,” said Eli Audlaluk of Akulivik.

“Let’s go for it” said Peter Iyaituk of Ivujivik.