Posted August 24, 2006

ATV Safety Training for Kids

Why doesn’t somebody do something? We all hear this way too often when it comes to reducing accidents and fatalities associated with ATVs.

So we thought you would like to know about a group that has been doing something about it for 16 years.

The National 4-H has many different programs for youth, and with the rapid growth of ATV recreation it was a natural to add a National 4-H Community ATV Safety Program to its long list of programs.

In 1990, 4-H offered ATV training to county extension agents and volunteer leaders at several locations across the country. Ohio sent a group to be trained, including Randall Reeder, extension agricultural engineer at Ohio State University; Becky Cropper, a 4-H agent from Brown County; and Tim Ballard, a volunteer from Montgomery County.

After returning to Ohio they organized a state advisory board, planned youth training sessions, and started a state 4-H ATV contest at the State Fair.

To attend the State Fair is exciting for every kid. Just add the opportunity to compete in something they really like to do, like ride ATVs, and you have a big hit.

Finalists from each county are selected and sent to Columbus each August to compete for a state championship in three age groups: 9-13, 14-15, and 16-19. Any 4-H member enrolled in the ATV project who completes the activities in the manual is eligible.

To become a champion, a youth competes in four areas:

• A written exam with 20 multiple choice questions,
• Identification of 10 parts on an ATV,
• An interview, with thought-provoking, open-ended questions, conducted one-on-one by an Extension professional, and
• Skill riding.

What would an ATV competition be without riding? That’s the fun part! For the last two years, ATVA Director Doug Morris has volunteered to help with the judging.

The riding skills course isn't a speed contest. It has a number of separate challenges to find out if the rider can safely operate all the ATV controls, and demonstrate proper riding technique.

The challenges included riding over obstacles, quick turns, ascending and descending a hill, traversing a hillside, crossing a small stream, and overall riding technique. In recent years, the contest has been held in a pasture at the Ohio State University Dairy Farm a few miles from the State Fairgrounds.

If you have been looking for a way to get involved and become ``part of the solution,'' this program might give you ideas that your ATV club, community or your 4-H chapter can use.

For more information on the National 4-H ATV Safety Program write to: 4-H, 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, or e-mail ATVSafety@fourhcouncil.edu.

If you would like more information on the program in Ohio, log on to www.4hengineering.osu.edu.

© 2006, All Terrain Vehicle Association