Minnesota Snowmobile Safety Training

As a recreational sport, snowmobiling had its start in northern Minnesota in 1955, according to the Minnesota Historical Society. In April 1968, Ralph Plaisted of St. Paul, Minnesota further popularized snowmobiling when he and his expedition reached the North Pole on snowmobiles, being the first mechanized expedition accomplishing such a feat. As snowmobiling in Minnesota grew even more popular, the need for safety regulation also developed. Today, snowmobile safety training is integral to the success of snowmobiling as a sport in Minnesota.

  1. Safety Training Requirements

    • Minnesota law requires snowmobile safety training certification for anyone born after December 31, 1976. There are two major courses, one for youth covering the ages between 11 and 15, and an adult course for those age 16 and up. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regulates these courses and updates information regularly, which can be obtained on their website (see Reference 2) or by calling 1-888-646-6367.

    Youth Courses

    • The youth course is available in traditional or CD-based methods. For the traditional course, the class meets two or more times for an 8-hour minimum of classroom instruction led by volunteer instructors, which also includes a riding performance test. The CD-based course requires at most only two classroom meetings. Students receive a free training CD from the DNR or instructors, which they complete at home. Thereafter, these students attend a one-day classroom review and riding performance test. Upon completion of all course requirements, students receive a certificate, which becomes valid when they are 12 years old.

    Adult Courses

    • Adult students have the choice of either completing the DNR Adult Independent Study CD course or a Youth Snowmobile Certification class. The adult course specifically teaches the most common causes of snowmobile accidents in Minnesota, and tips for avoiding accidents. Once completing the CD training, students print out a Temporary Adult Snowmobile Certificate, and then mail a copy of the certificate along with a $10 fee to Camp Ripley of the Minnesota National Guard (see Reference 3).

    Instructors

    • Opportunities are available for becoming a Snowmobile Safety Training Instructor in Minnesota, which doesn't require experience as a school teacher or college-level professor, but does require good reading skills, following a lesson plan and a few hours of training with a Regional Training Officer (RTO).

    Statistics

    • Statistics for the 2009-2010 season show that out of 212 accidents in Minnesota for this period, 81 percent involved alcohol use and 8 percent were fatal, with 90 percent of the fatalities being men. Interestingly, while most riders in accidents were men, the ratio of women in accidents who were riding without having had safety training over those who had was greater than that of men.