Safety Tips for the Young ATV Rider

Let’s face it – ATVs are fun. They can give you freedom to go places, make work a whole lot easier and can also be a joy to drive. But these same joys can cause some serious safety concerns. Many people are killed or seriously hurt on ATVs every year in Canada.

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Wear a helmet while driving an ATV

Wearing a helmet while riding an ATV can make the difference between surviving and ending up dead. Always wear a helmet approved for ATV or motorcycle use (look for CSA, Snell or ANSI for motorcycle use). Do not use a helmet made for a bicycle or for riding a horse.

ATV Safety

Get some ATV experience

It is very important to get proper training on using an ATV before you ever get on one. That goes for adults as well as kids. Learn what an ATV feels like, how they turn, what to do to drive one safely and how to stay in control.

Quad Bikes for Kids – Be prepared

People driving ATVs also need to wear protective equipment such as eye protection, gloves, full length pants and closed toe boots.

Ask permission first

It is important that an adult knows that you are driving the ATV and where you are at all times. In fact, you should never be out of the adult’s sight. If something bad were to happen and you were all alone, you could find yourself really hurt.

Top ATV Safety Tips

  • Only have one rider on the vehicle. It is fun to share your enjoyment, but not if it means you are in danger of losing your balance or losing control of your ATV.
  • Do not go fast. ATVs have no way of protecting you if you tip over or hit something. They also lose control on the road when they are traveling at higher speeds. It’s just not worth it.
  • Stay off of roads. There is no place for ATVs among cars and trucks. If they hit you, you will be the one getting hurt.
  • Do not pull stunts while you are driving the ATV. Keep all wheels on the ground at all times and don’t turn sharp corners.

ATVs are heavy. If they land on you, they will crush you. If they roll over you they will crush you. If you hit something while operating one, you can get crushed. If this doesn’t sound good, that’s because too many times people ignore safety and get hurt or killed. Don’t be that person.

Before you even get on an ATV a knowledgeable adult needs to determine if that vehicle is the right size for you. If it’s too big, you could lose control and that would be extremely dangerous.

The bottom line is that ATVs are very handy when it comes to work and play, but you need to be safe first. Ask an adult to teach you about ATVs, wear the gear, be responsible, and you will be on the road to safely enjoying ATVs for the rest of your life. If you are looking for something fun to do this summer, why don’t you think about volunteering? Wondering where to volunteer? We’ll show you where.