New to the World of ATVs? 4 Essential Safety Principles to Understand
As written for The Safe Driver.
For those who are unaware, an ATV is shorthand for an all-terrain vehicle. These are potentially fun for outdoor use, but they are generally not street legal. You will need to ride them only in the proper places to avoid getting into any trouble with the law.
Utah Powersports has plenty of ATVs you can take a look at if you are interested in getting into this hobby. However, as you do so, you need to be aware of some of the fundamental safety principles that go with their use. Let us talk about four of those right now.
Wear a Helmet
You sometimes see individuals riding ATVs without helmets. This is never advisable. As fun as these vehicles can be, they can also flip over or dislodge a rider if you hit an uneven patch of ground or run into an unseen obstacle.
Much like motorcycle riding, ATV riding becomes much safer if you have a helmet on every time you do it. The one time you forget your helmet or that you decide you don’t need it could be the time you get in a devastating crash that causes a TBI, or worse.
Wear Eye Protection
One thing that’s undeniable about ATVs is that when you use them, it’s possible to kick up dust, dirt, and debris. No matter what surface you’re on, the tires can dislodge bits of earth that might fly in all directions.
That’s why you need goggles or similar eye protection. Much like wearing a helmet, this is an easy way to make your time on an ATV much safer. You can buy goggles that are appropriate for ATV use at the same online stores and at brick-and-mortar store locations where you can purchase a helmet.
Wear Clothing That Covers All Your Bare Skin
It’s also necessary to wear appropriate clothing when you go out for a ride on your ATV. You can buy specialty clothing at the same stores that sell goggles and helmets, but that’s not necessary, unless you want to make a fashion statement. Instead, you can simply wear a pair of jeans, a long-sleeve shirt, over-the-ankle boots, and gloves.
If you wear all of that, it covers up almost all of your skin. This is vital, since you can get thrown from your ATV and roll across the turf if you hit an obstacle. That will produce road rash, a painful condition you certainly want to avoid.
Stay at a Safe Speed
You should also stay at a safe speed when you’re on your ATV. Just like with a traditional car, you’ll remain safer the slower you’re going. While you may feel inclined to open up the throttle on an ATV to see what it can do, that’s potentially disastrous.
Hitting an unseen object going 20 miles per hour on an ATV can hurt you, but at twice that speed, it can kill you. You may want to have fun on your ATV but keep it at a reasonable speed.