ATV Safety
Tips for Safe ATV Riding
ATVs are fun, fast, and exciting, but riding them to their fullest potential is a skill. If you’re not careful in your riding, especially if you’re new to riding, you could end up in a serious situation. From basic operator errors to catastrophic mechanical problems to severe weather conditions making the ride unsafe, there is no shortage of hazards that riders face.
If you increase your knowledge and skill sets, and invest in the right equipment, you can stay much safer. Below, we list our best advice for ATV riding safety. If you’re in need of riding gear or anything else, stop by Maxey’s Motorsports here in Oklahoma City (OKC), Oklahoma. We proudly serve the areas of Tulsa, Edmond, Norman, and Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Invest in Good Equipment
Good equipment serves two purposes. First, it helps to protect you so that you stay more comfortable and less distracted while you ride. Second, it improves the outcomes if you do get in a crash.
For the first purpose, gloves, goggles, boots, and outerwear are the most important pieces of equipment. A good set of goggles is very helpful. It’s best if you can find a pair with anti-fogging coating. For gloves, try to find a pair with shielding on the knuckles to protect you from rocks, sticks, and other debris. Depending on the time of year you’re riding in and the area in which you’re riding, you might want waterproof or insulated gloves. Just make sure they aren’t too bulky or you might have a hard time controlling your ATV. Boots and outerwear are also important. Try to find a pair of boots with a higher ankle so that you can have plenty of ankle support and protection from engine heat.
Buying a helmet is a personal experience because everyone’s head is shaped differently. Make sure the model you choose fits your head shape without pinching or without sliding around. A full face helmet is the best choice for ATV riding because it will protect your chin, one of the most sensitive parts of the head in an accident. A chest protector is also a good investment which will protect your sternum and internal organs in an accident.
Keep Your ATV Maintained
A major mechanical problem with your ATV while you ride could cause a serious accident. Imagine a tire blowing out as you try to take a corner at top speed and you’ll get the picture. Keeping your ATV in good shape is one of the most important things you can do to make riding safer.
Before you head out every day, try to perform a quick pre-ride inspection. Check out the tire air pressure and make sure it conforms to factory standards. Look for tire cracks, holes, abrasions, and “chunking,” the term for rubber coming off in large chunks due to age and use. Check your engine fluids, too, and make sure the brakes, clutch, and throttle are all operating smoothly and effectively before you take off at full speed. On top of your daily inspections, make sure to bring your ATV into a professional mechanic on a regular schedule so that they can give it a tune-up.
Use Common Sense
A major portion of safe riding comes down to staying within your limits and not making obvious mistakes. By obvious mistakes, we mean things like “don’t consume drugs or alcohol before you ride,” and “don’t head out into a severe storm.” Knowing your limits, however, is more of an attitude than a set of rules. Many people have severe crashes due to operator error every year, many of which could have been preventable if the rider was more conservative with their riding. Instead of pushing your ATV as fast as you can around every corner, learn to build speed over time. Instead of trusting every new area will ride the same, take some time to get used to the specific riding conditions and find the hazards. Safe riding comes down to not making hasty decisions that will put you in danger.
Hopefully, this short guide gave you some good pointers on how to ride your ATV. If you’re in the market for a new ATV, stop by Maxey’s Motorsports in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. We proudly serve the areas of Tulsa, Edmond, Norman, and Shawnee, Oklahoma, and we’ll help you find everything you need.