Clarington - This week Feb 21 2003
DURHAM - Snowmobile enthusiasts are invited to help the Durham health department improve by joining a focus group to discuss local issues surrounding the winter activity.
Although today's snowmobiles can be driven as fast as cars, they don't come with the same safety features as automobiles, says Sheri Devereaux, a Durham public health nurse.
Snowmobiling was the leading cause of severe injury resulting from winter sport and recreation in 2000 and 2001, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. In 2001, there were 20 hospitalizations in Durham alone related to snowmobile accidents.
"This number is just the tip of the iceberg because it doesn't reflect the number of people who were injured and didn't seek medical attention or who were not admitted to hospital," says Ms. Devereaux.
Anyone interested in snowmobiling is encouraged to join the focus group being created by the health department to address local safety issues. A date for discussion has not yet been set but anyone interested can call the Durham Health Department at 1-800-841-2729, ext. 2545.