| 
Hatfield-McCoy Taking Safety Message Into West Virginia
Schools
Lyburn, WV - (6/7/06) -The Hatfield-McCoy
Regional Recreation Authority (HMRRA) is launching an
ATV safety initiative in southern WV elementary schools.
“With more and more people getting in accidents
not wearing helmets we felt we needed to do something,”
said HMRRA Chief Ranger Steve Simpkins. “The key
is to start educating kids while they’re young,
and before they develop bad habits like riding without
a helmet and drinking while they ride. Getting our law
enforcement out into the schools is the best way to
reach the greatest amount of kids.”
The trail system is currently reaching out to schools
in their nine-county project area of Boone, Kanawha,
Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and
Wyoming counties. Hatfield-McCoy teamed up with the
ATV Safety Institute (ASI) and the National Off-Highway
Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) to deliver the
message in ways that are both fun and educational.
“We’ve sent all of our full-time rangers
to the ASI training course, and they are all certified
ATV safety instructors, and NOHVCC has supplied us with
ATV safety coloring books and CD-ROMs,” Executive
Director Jeffrey Lusk said. “It makes the topic
a lot more interesting than just our rangers giving
a speech. Hopefully these kids develop safety habits
for life.”
The ATV Safety Institute is a not-for-profit agency
that formed in 1988 to implement a national program
of ATV safety education and awareness. ASI instructors
teach ATV safety courses all over the country, and to
people that have just purchased a new ATV, the class
is often paid for by the machine’s manufacturer.
NOHVCC is a publicly supported, education foundation
organized for the purpose of developing and providing
a wide spectrum of programs, materials, and information
to individuals, clubs, associations and agencies in
order to further a positive future for responsible Off
Highway Vehicle recreation.
“Even though we have a stellar safety record
at the trail system, we see our state leading the nation
in deaths per capita every year,” Lusk said. “As
the premier off-road destination in the state we need
to do our part to educate people about what they can
do to prevent ATV related injuries and deaths.”
The Hatfield-McCoy Trail System is currently setting
dates for visits in the 2006-07 school year. To find
out more information on the ATV Safety Course, availability
and questions about Hatfield-McCoy Trail’s rules
and regulations, you can visit TrailsHeaven.com or call
Steve Simpkins at (800) 592-2217.
www.trailsheaven.com
Discuss
this in ATVriders.com Forum | 
