As a parent, sharing hobbies and interests with your children, such as ATV riding and Powersports, can be a wonderful bonding experience. However, as ATV and UTV usage among kids has grown in popularity, accidents have also increased.
However, you can ensure that your children have a safe and fun ATV riding experience with the proper training, gear, and equipment.
When To Introduce Your Children To ATV Riding
It usually is advisable to wait until your kid is six years old before introducing them to ATVs. If your kid has excellent motor skills around the age of 4 or 5, you may be permitted to begin them sooner. However, most manufacturers of small ATV suggest that riders be at least six years old.
If you’d want to introduce them earlier, you could always get one of those smaller electric ATVs suited for three-year-olds. With this approach, you can begin teaching them the fundamentals of riding safely early on.
It’s good to establish safety guidelines for your children to follow whenever they ride an ATV.
Consider yourself to be your child’s very own personal safety instructor. You should instill a sense of priority for safety gear and riding techniques. This will first demand a great deal of attention. However, with patience, kids will eventually pick up on the safety guidelines you establish on their own.
Kids ATV Riding Safety Gear
Wearing the proper safety gear and clothing is critical for riders to be safe and protected from the elements when on the trail or track. Before you begin riding, a fast and easy tip to follow is to cover every part of your body before riding ATVs. Below is a list of the recommended safety gear for kid ATV riding.
ATV Helmets
When purchasing new ATV helmets, the most important factor to consider is a proper fit. This may be challenging when dealing with children. They have difficulty determining which helmet fits appropriately, and all ATV helmets will seem heavy to them.
Boots
Ensure that you do not get a too large size to protect their feet. If they are growing, get a pair slightly bigger than their shoe size. You could always have them wear an additional pair of socks.
Chest Protector
There is absolutely no way to be too careful with gear selection when keeping your children safe while ATV riding. A chest protector is a plastic vest that fits over the shoulders, similar to a football player’s shoulder pads are essential in providing some of the best protection.
A chest protector is made so that direct hits to the chest, shoulders, back, and elbows are absorbed. This may be a lifesaver for a young rider who falls front end first on a jump and smashes his chest on the handlebars or who falls off his ATV on his back and lands on a rock, stick, or his own ATV.
Knee Pads and Elbow Pads
Before you set out on a ride with your child, make sure to purchase a set of well-fitted knee and elbow pads. It is important that they do not slide and slip around in case of an accident or fall.
Goggles
While ATV riding, a helmet, and goggles will protect your whole head and face. Youth goggles are very similar in size. If you’re unclear about which type of goggles to purchase, it’s wise to have your child try them on first.
Gloves
To avoid injury, invest in a nice pair of children’s riding gloves. Your children should not be riding at a speed that regularly causes them to lose control of their ATV. However, if they do fall off, gloves are an excellent way to protect their hands from rocks and sticks. Additionally, they increase their enjoyment of riding when the weather becomes colder.
ATV Riding Jersey
Jerseys will help protect your child from flying debris or during impact on the track or trail.
ATV Riding Pants
ATV riding pants are thicker because they are designed in ways that they guard against the engine’s heat. It is well worth it to prevent any burn injuries caused by your child’s legs coming into contact with the engine.
Tips For Kids ATV Safety
1. Take an ATV safety training course that has been authorized.
2. Ensure children are always out of the way of harm when loading and unloading ATVs.
3. Wear the appropriate safety equipment.
4. Make the rider and ATV more visible by using reflective apparel, reflectors, lights, and flags.
5. Riding a three-wheeled ATV is not permitted.
6. Never ride on paved roads unless the crossing is legal and done safely. ATVs are built for off-road usage, and riding on roads puts the riders in danger of being struck by another vehicle.
7. Allowing your kid to ride adult-sized ATVs is not a good idea. Riders should always ride ATVs that are the correct size for their age.
8. Only ride on level, smooth ground, away from thick forests, hills, and bodies of water, and only ride where you can see far into the horizon.
9. Only ride on specified paths and at a safe pace.
10. Riding an ATV at night is never a good idea. Riding during the daylight hours enhances visibility and safety for all ATV riders. Always ride in daylight and with a full tank of gas, and be aware of changing weather conditions to alter your route appropriately.
11. When riding, children under the age of 16 should always be supervised by an experienced adult.
12. Stay behind children while riding.
13. Adults who are supervising should also be well-trained and experienced with ATVs.
14. Have an emergency plan, a first-aid kit, and basic first-aid knowledge to manage minor injuries.
15. Children should never ride with passengers.
Load ATVs Safely and Quickly With MAD-RAMPS!
Spend more time ATV riding with your children! The MAD-RAMPS pivoting and tilting Loading Ramp System enables you to load and unload ATVs into your truck bed or flatbed in the safest and easiest way out there!
MAD-RAMPS is simple to install, and loading your ATV is as simple as driving onto our ATV ramps! To learn more, visit our website!
