Be sure to test your ATV safety knowledge on our “Fun” link above for games and quizzes.

Before you ride | Fit your ATV | Parents and Adults

For ATV Riders and Future Riders

Leader Guide Sample Document

 About this website

ATVs are increasingly popular among kids and adults of all ages. They can be useful for work and fun to ride, but they can also be dangerous. Understanding the right way to safely ride the right-sized ATV for you is important before you ride. This website is a place where you can learn about ATVs, watch videos about ATVs, find out what size ATV you should ride, and play games and take quizzes to help you find out how much you know about ATV safety.

Even if you’ve learned everything you can from this website, before you get on an ATV it’s important to take an ATV RiderCourse. The ASI website can also connect you to information about what size ATV you should ride if you’re under 16. This website provides useful information but it is not a substitute for certified training.

Make every ATV ride a safe ride!

 

What to Do Before You Ride

There are many things to know before you ride an ATV. Think of it this way: when you bake a cake, you need a recipe. Only in this case, the cake has a 90 cc engine, rear hydraulic brakes, and an automatic transmission. You don't want to ride the ATV before you know how.

What do you need to do before you even climb on an ATV? Check out the Top Ten ATV Safety Tips brochure to find out more about the most important things to remember before and during your ride.

It's important that your ATV fits you like a glove. How do you know if you're riding a machine that's too big or too small? Follow the guidelines recommended by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, ASI, and the manufacturer's recommendations. You can also check out the Fit Guidelines in our ATV Safety Leader's Guide.

 

How to Find the Right ATV for You

Fit Guidelines

Follow these guidelines for ATV Safety.

• Upper legs. The upper portion of your leg - from about the top of your knee to your hip - should be about horizontal to help you control your ATV. A little above or below horizontal shouldn't be a problem, but huge differences - knees significantly below or above the hips - should be checked by an adult. If your knees are quite a bit above the hips, turn the handlebars in both directions and check for contact with knees or legs.
   
• Foot length. Check to see if you can brake correctly. Lock the heel of your right shoe against the footpeg or in the proper position on the running board. Your toe should be able to depress the footbrake with a simple downward rotation of your foot. Check if you have any contact with engine or exhaust protrusions. You should be able to use the brakes consistently without hesitation. The same rule applies to the ATV's left side where the gearshift is located.
   
• Grip reach. To steer and balance correctly, sit normally on your ATV with your hands on the handlebars. Your elbows should have a distinct angle between your upper arm and forearm. If your elbows are straight out, you won't be able to turn the handlebars. Make sure you aren't reaching forward to compensate for a short reach. If your elbows are at less than right angles, you are too large for the ATV and steering and maintaining balance will be difficult.
   
• Throttle reach. Check your throttle reach to control your speed and handling. With your right hand in the normal operating position, check to see if your thumb can easily operate the throttle. Turn the handlebars to the extreme left and right positions. Check again for any interference with easy operation.
   
• Brake reach. Make sure you have good stopping control. Place your hands in the normal operating position with fingers straight out. Check to see if the first joint (from the tip) of your middle finger extends beyond the brake lever. If not, your hand is too small to effectively grasp the lever in an emergency. Make sure your thumb also reaches the engine stop switch. Squeeze the brake lever a few times to be sure you can comfortably use the controls.
   

Attention Parents and Adult Leaders of ATV Riders and Future Riders

This site includes resources for adults who want to teach young people about ATV Safety using the 4-H ATV Safety program. The 4-H ATV Safety program was designed to provide you with curriculum and materials to help you develop or enhance safety programs in your community. The 4-H ATV Safety program helps young people, parents, caregivers, and other community members work together to ensure that every ATV ride is a safe ride. Parents and other adults have a lot of power when they work with young people to support their safe behaviors while riding ATVs. They need to exercise that power by directly supervising and educating young riders.

Use this site to pick up some new ideas for making safety education fun and interesting for your future riders, and learn how to apply for a grant to provide ATV safety training in your community. 4-H also offers ATV safety products you can use as prizes or incentives in your safety training classes.

Check out our Mini-Poster set (left). In our Videos section you can watch a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) press conference about the risks of ATV riding. Millions of youth and adults across the United States ride ATVs each year. Recent sales indicate this popularity most likely will continue. Unfortunately many new or veteran riders don’t follow proper safety guidelines. Operating ATVs without helmets, riding with passengers on traditional ATVs, or riding on improper surfaces can lead to severe injury or death. For more information and statistics on accidents and deaths, visit the CPSC website.

National 4-H Council thanks the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, and the ATV Safety Institute (ASI), for supporting the 4-H ATV Safety program.