Youth ATV Safety ... Rely on Our Latest Tips for Your
Peace of Mind.
You
want to get the little tike a mini atv. That alone should move
youth atv safety to the top of your list. Even if your retirement plan
doesn't depend on your offspring, you want to keep the little guy (or
girl) safe. After all, these are the people that will decide if you end
up in a rest home or not. (AARP prefers the term "retirement center").
Education - This would mean you
and your kids. Even if you think you know what's going on, you can
always learn something new. A good rider education course is my
favorite place to start.
I took a course after riding and
racing more than 30 years and was shocked at how much I learned.
Chances are you will be too. There's a reason this is listed first,
please don't skip it.
Check with your local ATV dealers about courses in your area or click this link for more info. ATV Safety Institute Rider Course.
Supervision
- Simply put, you or some other responsible adult should keep your kid
in sight at all times. This ATV safety tip will cost you nothing but
your attention. In the entire animal kingdom, humans may do the worst
job of watching their young. Grizzly bears don't let their cubs out of
sight, neither should you.
Safety Gear
- I love safety gear. Over the years, I've had occasion to test a lot
of it first hand. One thing I always noticed as I was impersonating
Superman flying through the air ... never regretting wearing it! In
fact, I usually wished for more of it.
This list will give you the basics for youth ATV safety gear first - then some options that can be added.
 - Helmet - Absolutely, positively, NEVER
let your child get on an ATV without a helmet. Remember how you
freaked out when you accidentally dropped him on his head? This is 10
times worse. Be sure to get a helmet that is DOT approved.
Kid's
four wheelers are supposed to be fun. Not wearing a helmet is the
quickest way to experience the opposite of that. Enough said.
- Goggles
- You know when your parents told you not to do certain things because
"you could lose an eye like that"? Well, turns out when it comes
to youth ATV safety, they would have been right.
You
wouldn't let the little one stand in front of a sandblaster, so don't
let 'em ride without eye protection. And goggles are the best eye
protection.
- Gloves
- As I'm typing this, looking at the accumulation of scars on my hands
from not wearing gloves, I can't get the word "idiot" out of my mind.
Here's a great chance to force your will on your child - enjoy it! By
the way, nothing fancy, any good, sturdy glove will do just fine.
- Long sleeve shirt or jacket - Yes, even if it's hot. Just think how cool it will be not to have to call your wife to meet you at the emergency room to get juniors elbow stitched up.
- Long pants - Same as above. Just substitute "knee" for elbow.
- Boots or shoes that cover the ankles
- Ever been riding and had a snake get wrapped around your ankle? I
have and what a rush it was! Bet I pumped enough adrenaline to jump
start Dick Cheney's heart. So why am I sharing that with you? Because
you just never know what can jump off the ground and grab you ... or
your kid.
That pretty well covers the basics of youth
atv safety gear. Now we'll list a few options if things are starting to
get a little more serious.
- Upgrade to motocross racing style helmet - Designed for more protection at higher speeds.
- Racing style motocross gloves - Same deal. Just a higher level of protection with more padding and tougher materials.
- Padded motocross pants - More of the same. Extra padding and thickness in high impact areas like hips and knees.
- Motocross boots - Still more of the above. They extend further up the leg and have built-in shin guards and ankle protection.
- Chest protector - Protects the chest and rib area. Some models also have back protectors included.
- Elbow and knee guards - If what you already have doesn't include these, they can be added separately.
- Neck
brace and protector - Keeps the neck from being overextended and helps
protect the collar bone from the bottom of the helmet.
OK,
all that could probably withstand a nuclear blast. It would certainly
blast a hole in your wallet if you bought it all at once! The main
point to remember is that the faster the kid goes, the more protection
he needs.
Go to World of ATVs home page from Youth ATV Safety.
Go from Youth ATV Safety to tips about youth 4 wheelers.
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