ATVA News -- ATVA Director Doug Morris talks about training kids

ATVA Director Doug Morris talks about training kids

Dec. 4, 2003 – I hope you have been following the controversy that was created when the Consumer Federation of America filed a petition with the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, because it may seriously affect you and your family.

At the hearings, doctors testified that too many children are getting injured and killed while riding ATVs.

Like those medical professionals, we don't like anyone getting hurt on ATVs, especially children. But it's important to note that in almost every accident the anti-ATV forces described, the riders were injured while doing something that was clearly against the manufacturer's recommendations.

If we train kids, we can reduce injuries.

Why aren't kids getting training now? Partly because of the current restrictive CPSC age guidelines, which actually prevent or discourage youths from receiving training.

Free training is offered by manufacturers to buyers of new ATVs, but only for family members who are of the "proper" age for the purchased ATV. In other words, if you buy a 300cc ATV, only those 16 and older are eligible for training. A child can be 5-foot-10, 180 pounds and be just weeks shy of 16 years old…but can't take the free training.

Just about every ATV enthusiast at the recent Consumer Product Safety Commission hearings testified they felt training would help reduce accidents for youth. So why isn't anyone doing anything about training children?

I'm glad to say that at least one state is…and has been for 15 years. In 1987, Utah realized that just putting a "No Riders under 16" sticker on a 300cc ATV would not prevent kids from riding them. Utah knew that kids would be riding any size ATV they could handle, and they did something about it.

Utah law says that if you are between the ages of 8 and 16 and you are going to be riding on public property you must take training and the parents also must attend. Utah didn't use engine size as an arbitrary guideline. Instead, it said that if you fit the ATV, you can take the class; children are not restricted to riding an ATV under 90cc.

Parents need to make the decision as to whether their child is ready to ride an ATV. If so, then select an ATV that is an appropriate size for them.

© 2003, All Terrain Vehicle Association

The right-sized ATV for

your kid

When you, as a parent, decided that your child is ready to ride an ATV, then what size ATV should you get?

An appropriate-sized ATV means ensuring the machine fits the child and that the child fits the machine. There is much more to this equation than just engine size.

Here are some suggestions in evaluating the fit of an ATV:

1) While seated on the ATV, the youngster's feet should land squarely on the footrests. The knees should be bent, and the upper leg should be nearly parallel to the ground. If the legs are straight—or worse yet, if they don't reach the footpegs—the ATV is too big. If the child's knees are up in the air or the child has to hunch over to ride, the ATV is too small.

2) While seated, the child must be able to reach both handgrips without leaning foward. The child must be able to turn the handlebars fully to the left and right, without stretching or reaching.

3) While turning, the rider must be able to lean his upper body into the turn.

4) With both hands on the handgrips, make sure their fingers are long enough to reach, and their hands strong enough to repeatedly operate the levers without moving their hands.