When you jump on your ATV for a quick trail ride you should be mounting up like you are going to potentially stay out overnight. This is the mindset that Adventure Smart, an organization dedicated to educating people who enjoy the outdoors, is urging people to take.
Kevin Gill is with the Thousand Island Ground Search and Rescue and an AdventureSmart presenter. He says riders should have some very basic things on board their ATV at all times to deal with a number of issues.
Gill says people are also too reliant on their smartphones to get them out of trouble and to guide the way properly.
One of the basic tenets is to let someone know what you are up to. There are a lot of weekend warriors who do their own thing and should there be an accident or a breakdown it could be some time before people even notice they are missing.
Gill, who regularly attends outdoor shows says the majority of people that are new and getting into the outdoors lifestyle buy the fun equipment but neglect the safety gear.
He encourages people to sign up for an Adventure Smart course at Adventuresmart.ca and also take the ATV safety course provided at the Canadian Safety Council.