3 ATV Safety Tips

Do you live for those days when you get to head out into the sticks for some off-roading fun on your ATV? Tearing it up in the mud can be a very satisfying way to spend an afternoon. However, as with any motor vehicle, safety must be a consideration to ensure that your fun outing doesn’t turn into a trip to the hospital. Here are three safety tips to keep in mind so you can enjoy ATVing for years to come. 

Wear safety gear: The nature of ATVs, much like motorcycles, makes it much more likely for you to become injured than when driving a car. It’s crucial that you wear a helmet to protect your head in case of a fall. It’s also recommended that you wear long pants, boots with thick soles and gloves. You may also want goggles if your helmet doesn’t have a visor. 
 

Ride sober: You already know that drinking alcohol and/or taking drugs impairs your reaction time and skews your judgment. You should always operate motor vehicles while sober, especially when riding an ATV near trees that you can easily crash into.  
 

Use ATVs as intended: ATVs are engineered for off-roading, which means that they don’t handle as well as other vehicles on pavement. Drive in the dirt and grass as much as possible, limiting pavement to when you cross the street. Additionally, riders should never overload the capacity of ATVs and children should only be allowed to drive child-sized vehicles (with supervision). 

For even more protection, talk to your independent insurance agent about ATV insurance. While coverage won’t prevent accidents from occurring, it can help pay the resulting medical and repair bills.