Yellowknife (Mar 31/03) - There are no consistent guidelines governing snowmobile helmet use in the NWT. But this could soon change.

New impaired driving legislation being introduced by the Department of Transportation in June will shed light on the issue.

"The new administrative (licence) suspension right now would not apply to ATVs," said Gary Walsh, the department's director of road licensing and safety.

Snow machines are classed as ATVs under NWT law.

When the department looks at how to nab impaired ATV drivers, it will also re-examine helmet legislation Walsh said.

"We're going to look at the whole issue of safety equipment," he said. "Definitely."

Currently, fines for non-compliance with the ATV Act vary across the NWT from $50 to $100.

Fines are levied by either bylaw enforcement officers or the RCMP.

A helmet bylaw for snowmobiles has been in place in Norman Wells since July 2000.

"The majority of people do comply," said Art Bungay, finance controller/secretary for the town of Norman Wells.

RCMP enforces

The RCMP enforces the municipality's bylaw.

Bungay said he is proud of his community's stance on snowmobile safety. He rides a snowmobile and wears a helmet, he said, and always notices when other people don't.

People in his community wear helmets. But he quickly pointed out that Norman Wells is one of the only small communities he knows of in the NWT to adhere to such a strict bylaw.

When asked what prompted Norman Wells to introduce a bylaw, he said: "I can't speak for the town. But personally, I know there was an accident in Fort Good Hope around that time.

"A number of people praised us for putting the bylaw in place when that happened. If that was not a significant reason for having it, it was a significant reason for keeping it."

In January 2001, Premier Stephen Kakfwi said the government would take action on helmet use if communities didn't.

"If it becomes evident that what we need is a territory-wide measure, that compels legislators to look at what we can do to increase public safety, not only the safety of the drivers and owners of snowmobiles, but pedestrians," said Kakfwi. "We have to step up to the line and account for our inaction."

Two years after that announcement, the government has not stepped in to regulate helmet use.

Communities continue to set the rules, and Premier Kakfwi isn't commenting on the issue.

When a call was put into the premier's office for comment last week, spokesperson Drew Williams said the premier had "nothing to add to it." He suggested inquiries be made to the Department of Transportation.

"Hunters and trappers didn't want to be restricted by wearing a helmet," explained Walsh of the transportation department. That's why there isn't strict helmet legislation in the NWT.