"ATV Safety" Must Rule!
Here are a few tips to help your kids have a safe fun ride:
Kids ATV Safety
Your child should only drive an ATV that they can comfortably handle
What Is An ATV?
Wiki's Definition
Category: Image - :Four wheeler.jpg|thumb|300px|The ATV is commonly called a quad (quad-bike) in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and parts of Canada and the United States. They are used extensively in agriculture, because of their speed and light footprint
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), informally referred to as a quad bike or quad, is defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a vehicle that travels on low pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control. As the name implies, it is designed to handle a wider variety of terrain than most other vehicles. Although it is a street-legal vehicle in some countries, it is not street legal within most states and provinces of Australia, the United States and Canada. By the current ANSI definition, it is intended for use by a single operator, although some companies have developed ATVs intended for use by the operator and one passenger. These ATVs are referred to in this notice as tandem ATVs.
The rider sits on and operates these vehicles like a motorcycle, but the extra wheels give more stability at slower speeds. Although typically equipped with three or four wheels, six-wheel models exist for specialized applications. Engine sizes of ATVs currently for sale in the United States, (as of 2008 products), range from .
ATVs and Kids (Ages 6-12)
What You Need To Know
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Large ATVs take a fair amount of strength to control and usually have more powerful engines that allow them to go much faster than ATVs made for youth.
Give children an opportunity to hone their driving skills on a smaller, slower ATV. They can then graduate to an adult-sized ATV when they're older, stronger, and more experienced.
Kids (ages 6-12) should ride an ATV with a 70cc engine or smaller. There are larger models available for teenagers.
And while age should be a factor in just which ATV you choose for your child, other things such as maturity, size, and strength should be considered. For example, a smaller 14 or 15-year-old should still ride a smaller ATV. Rest assured that this may not be optimal in their way of thinking, but it is imperative for their safety. It must be stressed: Your child should only drive an ATV that they can comfortably handle.
Choosing The Right Kids ATV
What You Should Consider
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When buying an ATV for your child, you should make sure it is the correct fit for them. In other words, your child should:
- . . . be able to reach the ground with their feet, without standing on their tip-toes and have their legs slightly bent.
. . . be able to comfortably reach the handle bars without having to overextend their arms. Their arms should be slightly bent as they have a firm grip on the handle bars.
Deciding Maturity Level
As well as age and size, your child's maturity level also plays an important part in what type of ATV you buy them. You will have to consider if your child can shift gears or would do better with an automatic transmission.
Kids "ATV Safety" Rule!
Fun Is On The Horizon
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Youth should always be supervised when riding and wear appropriate safety gear. Many places required minors to wear helmets by law and prohibit them from riding adult-sized ATVs. Even if this is not a requirement in your area, it's still wise take heed to these safety precautions.
Purchasing an ATV for your child takes careful consideration. However, IF the vehicle is the appropriate size and power, IF your child wears protective gear and drives responsibly under your supervision . . . great fun can be had pursuing their ATV hobby.
Thanks for stopping by . . . and don't forget to sign my guestbook . . .
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Reply
- anna anna Sep 27, 2009 @ 4:14 am
- Very helpful information since safety is always a big concern. Thank you!
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Reply
- Abbie Abbie Sep 10, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
- Thanks for the helpful info. I am a single mom, and my son is very into quadding/ATV's. This will help me in the future when we decide to get one.
by nDee
The kids are grown . . . my husband is still a cool dude and . . . I get to share my interests, expertise and curiosities right here on Squidoo! For a...
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