Hatfield-McCoy Receives Safety Education Award

Lyburn, WV – Thanks to a recent trip to New Mexico, the Hatfield-McCoy Regional Recreation Authority (HMRRA) has some new hardware sitting in their offices. It not something they can use to help build more trails or make the trails safer, but rather something that’s a result of their efforts to make the trails safer over the past few years.

At the recent National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) Conference held in Albuquerque, the Hatfield-McCoy Education Team received the ‘Education Excellence of the Year 2007’ award for its dedication to OHV safety and education.

The trail system is entering its third year of an Off-Highway Vehicle outreach program targeting elementary age children in grades K-5. The program is put on by the HMRRA’s Law Enforcement Division. Designed to teach safe riding habits to children, the program features information from national authorities on the subject such as NOHVCC, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, the ATV Safety Institute, the Motorcycle Industry Council, 4-H, and the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles.

“We’re very proud of the trail system’s safety record, but as a whole West Virginia has set a new record for ATV–related deaths year after year,” said HMRRA Executive Director Jeffrey Lusk. “Its programs like these that will help teach the next generation how to ride safely and help to improve WV’s ATV-safety record.”

To date, the program has reached over 7,500 elementary-school aged students on the importance of safety when operating ATV’s and other off-highway vehicles.  Each in-school visit by the HMRRA’s Law Enforcement staff includes discussion of the use of proper riding gear including helmets, proper training and supervision, and an interactive CD demonstration that kids enjoy.

The safety education award wasn’t the only award Hatfield-McCoy picked up at the conference however. HMRRA Marketing Director Mike Pinkerton also won the NOHVCC award for ‘2007 State Representative that Walks the Talk.’

“This was a great honor to be mentioned among my peers at this year’s national conference for my work as an NOHVCC State Representative and as an employee of the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System,” Pinkerton said.

About NOHVCC
The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, as a national body of OHV recreation enthusiasts, develops and provides a wide spectrum of programs, materials and information, or "tools", to individuals, clubs, associations and agencies in order to further a positive future for responsible OHV recreation.