Provincial Police say this year has already seen the highest number of off-road vehicle (ORV) deaths since 2009.

So far this year there have been nine ORV deaths in the province, by this time last year there had been just one.

A nine-year-old boy and a 17-year-old are among nine people who died in recent ORV deaths investigated by the OPP this year.

Police say that their investigations have revealed that alcohol was a factor in five of the incidents, while speeding was involved in three of them.

They also say five of the people who died were not wearing helmets.

With many months remaining in the off-roading season, the OPP is urging ORV enthusiasts to wear a helmet every time, regardless of how short a ride you plan on taking.  Don’t include alcohol or drugs in an ORV outing and keep your speed under control so that you don’t lose control of your vehicle.