Youth Safety Training
Training Course
DNR Required Training
In Minnesota, all snowmobile operators who are at least 12 years of age and born after December 31st, 1976 are required to take a Minnesota-approved Snowmobile Safety Course and obtain a Snowmobile Safety Certificate before riding on public lands. Adults can take the online course. Children are required to take both an online course as well as in person driving test.
Prior to next season attendees considering training will need to go online and take the online training program through the DNR . All students must complete the online course prior to the classroom. The online course can be found here: https://www.snowmobilecourse.com/usa/minnesota/
This online course will allow kids to start and stop so they will not need to complete it all in one sitting. After completing the course, print off a voucher and bring it with to the class. You will also have to call and register with the Community Ed department and pay a small fee to attend. The Community Education Director is Shelly Vergin.
Training is set for the first Saturday in December of every year. Students can attend from anywhere. Students must be 11 years old by the date of the class. The class is recommended for kids 11 -14.
Course Content
Additional Information
The class will consist of 3 parts: Classroom training, visually and technical presentation of an actual snowmobile and Field training (obstacle course).
Classroom will cover the material in the book and the online training and will have a small quiz at the end to check the student’s knowledge. The instructors’ will share real life experiences and knowledge, there will also be a DNR officer to go over regulations and past experiences.
Some of the information covered in this class will be:
Watch safety videos
Go over first aid and survival tips
Thin ice- Hypothermia
The importance of not riding alone, the “Buddy system”
Things covered in the visual and technical presentation of a snowmobile:
The instructor will go over the basic parts and functions of different parts of a snowmobile. They will also go over pre-start checklist.
Field test and training course:
The instructors will go over pre start checklist, all the signs and what they will be expected to do at each one. They will be told how to go through the course and get to watch others do it. The Instructors will fill out the obstacle course test sheet which will go along with all the paperwork to be used for the child’s permit.
All of the paperwork will be put together and sent into the state and a permit will be sent out. The child will have a copy to be kept with him or her while riding which will serve as his permit until their actual permit comes.
The instructors all donate their time to teach the children and share their knowledge to make snowmobiling safer and more enjoyable for them.