ATV safety on the sand

WINCHESTER BAY — Jeremy Noel cringes every time he hears an ambulance siren blaring past Dune Country ATV Rentals on Discovery Point Lane. And this time of year, the store manager does a lot of cringing.

The all-too-familiar sound means yet another all-terrain vehicle rider has likely planted face or limb firmly in the sand at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

“It’s getting up to the season where at least once a day, we hear the ambulance, or somebody comes running to us or to the store to call 911,” Noel said.

With the clouds over the coast burning off faster each day and the piercing wind losing its chill, the exodus of ATV riders to the steepest dunes on the coast has begun.

And with more riders comes more injuries. But officials say there are measures visitors can take to rev up their chances at staying safe.

“The biggest problem is people riding over their abilities,” said Sgt. Scott Fray with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office on a recent sunny day out at the county’s dunes rescue building off Salmon Harbor Drive. “The four-wheelers are getting bigger every year, they’re more cc’s.”

In general, the smaller the rider, the smaller the engine’s cubic centimeters should be. Riders with less experience are also advised to stay off the most powerful machines.

At Dune Country ATV Rentals, riders must be at least 12 to rent a 90cc ATV, at least 16 for a 250cc and at least 40 for a 400cc.

But in general, the rider’s size and experience level is considered the best way to make a match.

“Definitely do not put a kid on a 400 and expect good results,” Noel said, “cause it’s not going to happen.”

Accidents on the rise

Scott Anderson, chief of the Winchester Bay Rural Fire Protection District, said although measures such as increased education and an alcohol ban on the dunes seemed to curb crashes for awhile, accidents appear to be on the rise again.

He attributes that in part to the popularity of increasingly larger machines, even 800cc ATVs that can weigh between 600 and 900 pounds.

Roll one of those over a rider, Anderson said, and “the injuries become pretty significant.”

Since 2000, fire department personnel have received a yearly average of 56 to 62 requests for assistance for ATV accidents on the dunes. About 20 percent of those involve serious trauma, such as unconsciousness or back, internal or head injuries.

Anderson figures those numbers account for around a quarter of all injury accidents that occur on the dunes. Riders are a prideful bunch, he said, and they usually find their own way to the hospital.

Indeed, Lower Umpqua Hospital treated 170 patients last year who were injured in ATV accidents.

Safety first

Aside from riding the appropriate ATV and knowing how it handles, all riders are strongly advised to wear helmets.

Noel of Dune Country said he often sees people riding by on Salmon Harbor without head gear. He undoubtedly prepares to cringe.

“It’s one of the dumbest things you can do,” he said. “It’s the quickest way to kill yourself.”

The law requires everyone under 18 to wear a helmet.

Auburn, Wash., resident Mike Cason, 34, said just because he’s not required to wear a helmet doesn’t mean he won’t. No matter how safe riders play it, he said, there’s always a potential for danger.

“You can still get hurt,” he said. “That’s why you always wear the helmet.”

Helmets should fit properly, Noel said, snug, but not too snug as to impair hearing.

Goggles and gloves are also standard protective gear, but extra equipment like chest protectors, riding boots and pants can also help pad a rough landing.

No one should ride alone, officials say, but youths under 16 must be accompanied by someone at least 18 years old who has valid driving privileges.

Jessica Chappell of Siletz said her 13-year-old son never rides without her or his father, Con Chappell. It can be unpredictable out there, she said, so the family always wears safety gear.

“You’re always worrying out there,” she said.

With off-highway vehicles ranging from pickups to sandrails allowed on the dunes, officials say staying aware is vital. Riders should stay to the right, and just in case, yield to others.

Ever-changing dunes among dangers

Other vehicles are not the only thing to keep a close eye on, though.

The shape-shifting sand can sneak up on a rider with disastrous results. Tearing up a dune might be OK one day, but the next week, the winds might have carved a razor back, or steep drop off, in the same location.

“Be aware the dunes can change from day to day,” Fray said.

Other hazards to watch out for include “whoops,” or small bumps in the sand similar to snow moguls, and “witches eyes,” or funnel-shaped holes that can trap an ATV.

Flags attached to ATVs are a must, and are crucial for spotting other riders coming up over the top of a dune or barreling through the mazes of trails surrounded by tall grass.

And of course, officials say, drinking and riding on the sand carries the same dangers and penalties as drinking and driving on the roads.

Diversion program to help fund law enforcement

The Sheriff’s Office has two deputies who regularly patrol the dunes area and are funded mostly by Oregon State Parks through grants. Big weekends, like Memorial Day Weekend, or events like DuneFest, which starts July 30, require extra patrols.

With a battery of ATVs on hand, and a newly donated lightening yellow sandrail, deputies are able to respond to crashes on the sand and help enforce the laws and regulations.

With Sheriff’s Office funds in question due to federal cuts, officials weren’t sure if the department would be able to maintain the dunes rescue building and upkeep of equipment, Fray said.

But the Douglas County Commissioners recently approved a new funding method that will allow money received through an upcoming ATV diversion program to help with the costs. Basically, riders who get cited for a violation, such as speeding, will have the chance to pay for a diversion class that could keep the ticket off their driving record.

The classes will include information about ATV safety and the laws.

“It’s a win-win for us,” Fray said. “It’s a win-win for everybody.”

That program starts up in August, and Fray said, plans are in the works to offer safety classes to the rest of the public as well.

Con Chappell, of Siletz, said he sees riding as a great family sport; even his 3-year-old daughter is an “up-and-comer” learning to ride on a miniature electric ATV.

“Accidents do happen,” he said, “but they happen with any sport.”

Noel said ATV safety basically comes down to common sense.

“It’s a really fun sport,” he said. “It’s the fastest growing sport in America, and it’s really addicting.”



• You can reach reporter Chelsea Duncan at 957-4246 or by e-mail at cduncan@nrtoday.com.

Injury report… Lower Umpqua Hospital in Reedsport has treated the following number of non-trauma patients who were injured in all-terrain vehicle accidents over the past five years: • 165 patients in 2003 • 159 patients in 2004 • 136 patients in 2005 • 155 patients in 2006 • 170 patients in 2007 The Reedsport hospital treated the following number of trauma patients: • 12 patients in 2003 • 25 patients in 2004 • 27 patients in 2005 • 31 patients in 2006 • 19 patients in 2007 Source: Lower Umpqua Hospital. Most accidents occurred on the sand, but not all.

So you know… • Personnel with the Winchester Bay Fire Rural Fire Protection District respond to an average of 56 to 62 requests for assistance related to all-terrain vehicle accidents on the dunes each year. • Between 15 and 20 percent of those incidents involve patients with serious injuries such as back injuries, internal injuries or head injuries. • During DuneFest, the biggest event at the dunes each year, the department averages between 19 and 21 requests for assistance during the five-day period alone. • The responses by the department account for an estimated quarter of the injury accidents at the dunes. Most people find their own transportation to the hospital. • Because the dunes are located outside the Winchester Bay fire district, the department relies on grants to fund coverage of the area. Source: Winchester Bay Fire Chief Scott Anderson