The Dangers Of All-Terrain Vehicles: How To Stay Safe

While ATVs have been around for a while now, they have recently become a lot more popular as they have been part of mainstream extreme sports and also become very useful in off-road work. In areas such as farming, mining and even construction ATVs and variants of ATVs are used to do everything from carrying people to moving materials. Moreover, the wide variety in the power and sizes of vehicles make them perfect both as toys and for commercial work vehicles.

However, even with their many benefits, these ATVs are very different from regular cars and trucks and do require some getting used to before a person can handle them safely. Even the smaller variants can have a lot of power and can easily go out of control.

Here are a few safety tips for you to keep in mind when using ATVs or purchasing them for a child.

1.  Get The Right Size

There is a wide range of ATVs available on the market today ranging from small-sized ATVs which are meant to be toys for children to extremely powerful ATVs that are meant for a professional competition. Moreover, the many different styles of ATVs come in all sizes and formations with large ATVs wearing more than 600 pounds. If you are purchasing a vehicle for a child make sure it is a size and weight that they can comfortably handle and if you are buying one for an adult then make sure it is an engine size that you can handle.

2.  Get Safety Certified

The laws and regulations about ATVs vary from state to state. Before you purchase an ATV for a child or for yourself it’s a good idea to get acquainted with the state regulations and get an understanding of what you need to do to be safe and legal. Especially if you bought your ATV in another state and now you have moved to live in another part of the country or if you are traveling to a different state to tackle a certain trail or participate in an event. A certification you currently hold may not be valid in another area and you could be subject to legal penalties.

3.  Follow ATV Rules

Whether you are competing in an event or just having fun on your own, there are some basic rules and regulations that you should abide by even if you are on private property. The legal team at https://www.mkhlawyers.com/blog/atv-safety-in-huntsville-alabama/ advises you to be especially careful with young drivers while they use their ATVs as they are more prone to rash driving and irresponsible behavior. Not only could this result in serious injuries but if the rider happens to cause damage to someone’s property or causes injury to a person, it could turn into a legal matter.

4.  Use The Right Gear

ATVs are just as dangerous, if not more, than regular motorcycles and dirt bikes. Considering the fact that ATVs are mostly used on raw land and areas where the rider is often far from medical assistance it makes this activity that much more dangerous. However, if you can ensure that you or your child is wearing the right kind of protective gear, you can significantly reduce the chance of a serious injury. Helmets, gloves, and pads for your knees and elbows are crucial but it is more important to have gear that is properly certified and which meets safety and quality standards. Substandard material is a safety hazard in itself as it can easily break and cause serious injury to the rider.

5.  Ride On Track

Whether you are competing or riding casually around your farm it’s important you stay on track. ATV vehicles are designed for a specific purpose and are meant to be driven in off-road conditions. While they are capable vehicles, driving ATVs on main roads and highways is dangerous for the driver of the ATV and for other vehicles on the road. Not only are they unstable at high speed on paved roads, but since the driver is completely exposed, an accident on a highway could be fatal.

ATVs can be insured and even after a serious car accident it is possible to repair an ATV or even replace the vehicle entirely, but these options are not possible for humans. Some accidents can have irreparable damage, they can leave you disabled, or worse yet, they can be fatal. Implementing safe practices is all about protecting yourself and also protecting those around you. If you want to enjoy ATVs, the best way to do that is to use them in areas where they are designed to be used and take all precautionary measures when you do ride them so you can ride care-free and push yourself to perform to the best of your abilities.