STARS is encouraging you to prioritize safety on May long weekend, especially if you plan on spending it in remote or recreational areas.
For plenty of folks north of the 49th parallel, May long marks the unofficial start of summer; however, STARS officials suggest it usually signals the start of trauma season.
According to STARS, activities like quadding, dirt-biking, cottaging, and even camping can quickly turn dangerous when safety takes a backseat.
“It’s one of the busiest weekends of the year for STARS,” STARS Emergency Link Centre Director John Griffiths says. “People return to the back country, hit the highways on motorcycles or ATVs, and take full advantage of the outdoors.”
As a result of the increased activity, STARS says increased call volumes tend to follow.
Officials say on average, STARS Emergency Link Centre receives approximately 200 calls during May long weekend.
In 2024 alone, STARS members flew 29 missions over the weekend with several of them directly related to travel and recreation, including ATV accidents, gunshot wounds, mountain bike accidents, and vehicle trauma. Additionally, STARS flies 20 per cent of missions in the month of May over those three days, so STARS recommends that any weekend adventurers consider factors like time, wildlife, and equipment before heading into the backcountry.
“We urge the public to travel safely, avoid driving fatigued or at night if you can- that’s when wildlife is active, and collisions can happen fast,” Griffiths says. “Always wear your helmet, whether you’re on a quad, bike or motorcycle, head injuries are a common and devastating cause of trauma — and they’re often preventable.”
STARS reassures residents that no matter what their weekend plans are, they are ready with clear skies, spinning rotors, and the Emergency Link Centre on standby.
