Landowners who feel connected to the great outdoors on their all-terrain vehicles should keep some critical safety tips in mind.
Safety is especially important in regions with more hills and mountains, according to Curt Porterfield, training coordinator for Virginia Tech Environmental Health and Safety.
“Just in the area, ATV-related injuries and deaths are up nearly 30% since 2021,” he said of southwest Virginia. “The average hospital stay from an ATV-related injury is about 7.5 days, costing an average of $127,000.”
Five hundred people die in the U.S., and another 100,000 are seriously injured, while operating ATVs every year.
“And 11,000 of those emergency room visits account for children,” Porterfield continued.
He added that adults should lead by example. Of disclosed ATV injuries, only 10.3% of adults reported wearing their helmet – a critical safety measure, as an average human skull is comparable to the hardness of a watermelon.
Selecting properly sized personal protective equipment is crucial in any ATV activity, said Matt Nuckols, Virginia Farm Bureau’s safety coordinator.
“In addition to modern, well-fitting protective gear, it’s important that riders read their owner’s manual thoroughly, to know the vehicle’s hazards and limitations,” he added.
Some manufacturers now offer protection systems for rollovers – the most common type of ATV incident, which often occurs in hilly areas.
When navigating steep terrain, Porterfield advises limiting the slope to 15º.
“If not, it’s better to go sideways and be able to lean and reduce rollover risk. Know how to fight the gravity,” he said.
In an AgriSafe webinar, Porterfield said safely enjoying ATVs comes down to four simple rules: Wear your helmet, know your terrain, control your speed and avoid steep slopes.
“If we can help people manage those, then we could get that number well below 100 or more fatalities on ATVs,” he said.
Find more Virginia Tech ATV safety resources at https://shorturl.at/MNW12 and learn more about Farm Bureau safety resources at https://shorturl.at/hmNQ7.
