ATV use on ponds dangerous, says Lifesaving Society

After footage was shared of thrill-seekers using all-terrain vehicles on Octagon Pond in Paradise, drivers across the province are being warned to step off the pedal or risktheir lives.

Over the past weekend in Paradise, youth were spotted doing wheelies on the ice while riding dirt bikes, as wellasspeeding across the pond on ATVs.

But while rocketing around the icemay pump someadrenaline,Scott Walters from the Lifesaving Society of Newfoundland and Labrador said it's not worth the risk.

"Even with your due diligence [in checking ice thickness] in one area, covering the size of that lake, there's no way to be vigilant about the entire area," said Walters.

The faster the driver goes, says Walters, the more dangerous the ice surface becomes.

"The speed is definitely a factor. They're going toget further away [and] they'll be very distant from anyone if they did go in [who]could save them."

"At that speed if you break through the ice, there's a very good chance you just plummet right under that ice that's already frozen, and then you can't find your way up to get air, and you just sort of drown underneath the water."

Important to check ice thickness

Walters said the Lifesaving Society'sofficial recommendation is to "always if possible to stay off the ice," but added that officials areaware some people will step on the ice anyway.

"If you're going to use an area of ice, make sure you check repeatedly for the proper thicknessthe fourinches when you're on as a person, and then fiveinches or sixinches when you have ATVs and snowmobiles and things like that."

For riders choosing to driveon the ice, the stakes are high, and Walters said that it is simply not worth the risk.

"It seems like a little bit of fun for the possibility of a lot of negative results," he said.