While all-terrain vehicles can be fun to ride, they are not toys. ATV accidents can result in serious injuries and are responsible for hundreds of deaths in Missouri alone. Over the course of a single holiday weekend, ATVs may be responsible for nearly 3,000 trips to the emergency room.
To prevent injuries while riding your ATV, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends hands-on training to learn how to operate it properly. It also strongly encourages the following safety practices for the operation of an all-terrain vehicle.
Protective gear
When you ride an ATV, you should wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. You should also wear protective gear such as boots, eye protection, a helmet and gloves. These should be appropriate sizes.
No passengers
You should never ride as a passenger in an ATV, nor should you provide a ride on your ATV to anyone else. In particular, you should not give ATV rides to children.
Off-road only
ATVs are only recommended for off-road excursions. You should never operate one on a paved road. This could put you at risk for a collision with a car or truck.
Children’s safety
All-terrain vehicles are not safe for children under the age of 6, who should not go on one under any circumstances. Even for older children, ATVs can be dangerous under certain circumstances.
Children between the ages of 6 and 16 should only ride youth ATV models of an appropriate size. You should never allow a child to ride ATVs intended for adults. They do not possess the necessary cognitive or physical skills to keep themselves safe.