With conditions being prime for snowmobiling, it’s important to remember that safety comes first.

Regional Director for the Southeast Iowa Ridge Blasters Jim Fitzgibbom says he sees a lot of inexperienced riders make mistakes, like going out alone before they’re ready or ignoring road signs when riding near highways. Fitzgibbom adds that a snowmobile is not a toy, “Respect your machine, that’s probably one of the biggest tips I can give new riders. It’s so easy to misjudge how fast you’re going. It’s just a good idea to take it slow, there’s no huge hurry.” A habit that Fitzgibbom has developed in his 28 years of riding is to maintain his machine by checking his lights and fluids after every ride so he knows it’s safe when he wants to ride again.