Why are ATVs dangerous? Safety Should Be a Priority while riding

Watching an ATV freestyle race competition on tv might make you ride your ATV like a racer on the street or garden. In this article, I will explain why it is a bad idea. Let’s jump in.

Table of Contents

Let’s understand what ATV is first

ATV is an off-road and utility vehicle that can ride on mud, sand, snow or any surface without any challenge. It doesn’t matter if you are a teenager or a grown man, it doesn’t matter, riding atv is so much fun. In some states, teenagers can legally ride their ATVs without a driver’s license.

Recently there has been a trend of news reports that accidents and injuries caused by atv. Usually, atv have powerful engines, and you can reach between 50 – 90 miles per hour. While riding atv at high speed cannot be controllable because atv bikes and tires are designed for off-road riding. Their tires are wide and not suitable for high-speed riding.

Riders need skill and quick thinking to ride and control atv. Atv acts like a bike but with 4 wheels. You need to turn the handle to turn and need to press hand breaks and rear brakes to stop the vehicle. The is a hand throttle to give the gas to the machine. Most nowadays comes with 4 wheels, but there has been a three-wheel atv in the past. Due to safety, those atv a banned in 1988.

What are the Different between ATV and Dirt bike safety?

When we get dirt bikes and ATVs, ATVs is safer than dirt bike. Atv has 4 wheels, giving more stability and balance to the vehicle. But these two don’t have any safety features. Atv can easily roll over and crash if it does not properly ride.

Atv weight almost twice as a dirt bike. You can injure the leg or hand if you fall on a dirt bike. But, if you crash and roll from atv, there is a significant risk of injury or death.

So, Why are ATVs dangerous?

Atv average 400lbs weight machine and according to their design, ATVs have a high centre of gravity point. Usually, atv don’t have any safety features that should have on a vehicle. That is the main reason to atv are not street legal. I recently wrote an article about why it is not street-legal. You can check it out here.

So, if you have an accident, roll over or get hit on something while riding, there are no safety features to protect riders or passengers from danger. It can cause injury, broken bones on arms or legs, cuts, scrapes or death. There is a big chance of accidents if you do not ride your ATV at high speeds. Do you know AAP or the american academy of Pediatrics does not recommend riding ATVs aged 16 or younger kids?

So, you or the rider need to wear safety riding accessories and learn and understand how to ride atv safely. There is a risk for injury at any time while riding atv on trails. But following safety procedures will help to prevent risks of rollovers and accidents.

Who can ride atv?

The AAP doesn’t recommend riding atv for kids that age below 16. But there are no legal regulations or age limit for ride atv. Some states allow rides atv for kids under supervision by an adult with a valid driver’s license. Also, some states require 16 years age limit with a safety certificate to allow them to ride atv. These laws and regulations can be changed from state to state or city to city. You can consult your local police department for all the information about this.

12 Things you should know before riding atv

First, Anyone should take safety training to ride and operate atv safely.
You should select the right ATV for your age and size. There is a different sizes of ATVs for different ages riders.
Riders should wear riding attire and safe accessories like a helmet, gloves, goggles, and boots to get protection from injuries.
Beginners should not ride alone.
Beginners should only ride during daylight. If you ride atv at night, it can be a significant accident risk without proper experience.
You must always ride atv on atv tracks or specially designed trails for atv.
You need to keep and maintain a safe speed while riding.
If you are tired or feel sleepy, stop riding atv immediately and get rest.
Every rider needs to learn and practice basic first aid and how to manage emergencies.
Only show off or stunt if you are an expert with atv. Doing extreme rides with atv pave the road for extreme injuries for sure.
Never ride on the side of the ATV as a passenger.
Always check the ATV, tires and rims before starting riding.

Things you never want to do while riding atv

Dont, take alcohol before riding atv or any other vehicle.
Don’t ride on the streets. Atvs are not legal to ride on streets.
Dont have many passengers on the ATV,
Don’t let kids ride with a passenger child.

What are the Atv accidents that mostly happen?

Lose control at high speed
Rollover accident
Hit on the object accident
Tire puncher accident
Tire blow accident
Engine failer accident
Brake failer accident
Overloading accident
Steering issue accident

What should you do when an ATV accident?

You, your child, or someone can get into an accident while riding ATV. The first thing you should do is don’t get panic. Call the medical emergency help and authorities to get help from them. Be with the patient till medical assistance comes. After that, you can consult an ATV accident lawyer to investigate the accident, find the reasons, and take care of atv and health insurance points you covered.

The bottom line

Riding ATV is fun, but there is risk and injury or death behind it. We all love to ride atv and love to have fun with them. Follow the safety rules and learn to ride atv properly with protective gear. You can keep a comfortable and risk-free ride for yourself and your children. As a parent, you should always be guided and safe behind if your child rides an ATV. We should protect them and guide them to better learning of riding. Thanks for reading manual riders!