Mother Fights to Change the Ontario Off-Road Vehicle Act

Just over a month after Linda Russell's son, Tyler Massey, died in an ATV accident, she is working towards changing Ontario ATV laws to prevent another avoidable tragedy like this from ever happening.

Tyler, an experienced dirt bike rider, was gravely injured when he crashed the adult-sized ATV he was riding with two other children at the Burnt River Off-Road Facility.
"Hopefully, his life will save others through this awareness," says Russell. "[Tyler] was told, and not just that weekend, but every weekend he went to that track, that he was only to ride his dirt bike"

Russell believes her son's death could have been prevented, and is trying to change the current Ontario Off-Road Vehicle Act to prevent other children from getting hurt. The current Off-Road Vehicle Act states children 12 and under can operate an ATV with adult supervision or on land owned by the ATV owner.

ATV manufactures recommend children under the age of 16 should not ride an adult-sized ATV, but Russell wants more than a simple recommendation. "These kids are suffering," says Russell. "They're losing their lives over it, and without the education and awareness, if nothing else, I hope no other mother or parents has to suffer the loss of their child."

Russell has campaigned a petition on behalf of Tyler based on Nova Scotia's Off Highway Vehicle Act. The petition hopes to ban children under 14 from driving adult ATVs on private property, and enforce a new law so kids aged 14-16 will require certification to drive ATVs.

"We're not trying to take away the fun. We're just trying to make people safer, especially children," shares Russell. "For people who have never met Tyler before, they would think twice before allowing their child or children [from] getting on these machines and getting hurt, and for that, it would be worth [it].