A specialized Snowmobile Accident Reduction Team or SART is being reactivated in Wisconsin through next winter to reduce crashes through enforcement of snowmobile safety laws and highly visible patrols.
Additional funding provided in the Gov. Jim Doyle’s budget to address this important safety need allows the Department of Natural Resources to reactivate the team, which was formed in 2005 following the second deadliest winter on record for snowmobile accidents in Wisconsin, when 37 snowmobilers lost their lives. The DNR continued patrols every year until last winter when the DNR budget could no longer support the additional patrols.
“The team will target those activities, such as excessive speed and alcohol abuse, that are associated with fatal accidents,” noted Gary Eddy, DNR snowmobile safety administrator. “The law abiding, snowmobile public loves to see us on the trails; the law breakers, not so much. A small minority of the snowmobilers choose to ride recklessly and attract unwarranted, negative attention to the sport. They are the one’s we want to slow down or remove from the trails all together.”
Accident Reduction Team members will include six conservation wardens, six marked snowmobiles and two marked, enclosed trailers. Six wardens will patrol high snowmobile use areas or areas that experience high numbers of fatalities around the state this winter beginning this weekend at Eagle River and continuing into February.
“We’ve seen a reduction in snowmobile fatalities the last three years in a row. This may be the first time that has happened in Wisconsin and we’d like it to continue. The Accident Reduction teams can certainly help with this goal,” Eddy said.
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