Keep Safety in Mind When Riding ATVs
When they first came on the scene in the
1980s, all terrain vehicles were used primarily for
agricultural purposes. Today, they are ridden mostly
for recreation, sport and work. No matter what the
purpose, whether it’s fun at the cabin, work on the
farm, or getting away to your favorite fishing hole,
the industry as a whole wants to make sure its
customers keep safety in mind.
“Today’s ATVs have made a lot of advancements and are
a lot of fun to operate, but they’re not toys and can
be dangerous if not used properly,” says Ron Solberg
of Arctic Cat, Incorporated, a manufacturer of ATVs
and snowmobiles. “To protect themselves, people need
to take a few simple precautions before venturing
out.”
Mark Johnson, 45, of Shoreview, Minn., a suburb of
St. Paul, is a true believer in that concept. He made
sure his son watched the safety video that came with
the family ATV before venturing out.
“We’ve had it four years now and no one has ever
gotten hurt,” says Johnson. His son, Kellen, 17,
always wear a full-face helmet, gloves, long pants
and sweat shirts when riding around his family’s two
acre property.
Some other safety precautions to keep in mind: never
ride on paved surfaces or public roads, avoid
excessive speeds, don’t drink and drive and don’t
carry passengers unless you have a vehicle that is
specifically designed for more than one rider.
Typically, ATVs have been designed for a single
passenger and have unique handling characteristics.
The presence of a passenger seriously impairs the
driver’s ability to shift weight and steer and
control the vehicle.
To address that problem and alleviate safety
concerns, Arctic Cat has designed the TRV, which
stands for two rider vehicle. They just hit the
market this year, and are intended for drivers 18 and
older and passengers 12 and older.
“Because children often lack the physical size and
strength, cognitive abilities and fine motor skills
to operate an ATV properly, their risk of injury is
greater,” says Solberg. “As a rule, no one under the
age of six should even ride on an ATV; but we’ve
found that kids six and older can handle operating
machines with 50 cc engines. They’re usually ready to
move up to an ATV with a 90cc engine by the time they
are 12 years old.”
Another thing to keep in mind, whether you’re six or
60, training is important for everyone. Several ATV
manufactures, including Arctic Cat, offer incentives
to encourage their customers to put safety first.
Arctic Cat offers a $100 cash incentive to first time
purchasers. It’s money they receive in cash upon
completion of a safety course.
For more information about Arctic Cat and ATV safety,
log onto www.arcticcat.com
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