Make sure to use precaution when riding off-road vehicles
Many farmers and ranchers are owners of various ATVs and UTVs. While these machines are efficient and practical, remembering all safety precautions while riding is important.
In this article, Steven Freeman, professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State University, offers some basic safety advice.
Number of riders
An ATV is designed to have only one rider, whereas a UTV may be designed for multiple riders. If more than one person is riding an ATV at a time, this changes the center of gravity on the machine and how it is going to function. Always make sure that the ATV is sized appropriately for the operator.
Having proper registration when using an off-road vehicle is important. When operating an ATV on your own farm, no license or registration is needed. However, if you are operating the ATV on state or public land, registration is required. Riders ages 12-17 are required to have a valid education certificate on their person when operating. Riders younger than 12 must be under direct parental or adult supervision.
Wear a helmet
When operating an ATV, operators should wear a helmet. If the helmet does not have a face shield, then appropriate eye protection is recommended. Appropriate clothing is also a must. Long sleeve shirts or jackets, heavy pants, boots and gloves should be worn. If an incident occurs, appropriate clothing offers the operator more protection from road injuries, along with being protected from brushy vegetation and the sun. Operators on a UTV should be wearing a seatbelt. A helmet is recommended depending on the situation.
If you are riding an ATV on a trail for an extended period of time, padded gloves are suggested. This reduces the stress and strain of holding onto the handlebars and helps the operator maintain control. Along with riding on a trail, it is important to remember that you need to stay visible on an ATV. This means that your lights must be working correctly, and you should wear a bright colored jacket or safety vest. Before going anywhere, a safety check of the whole piece of equipment should be performed. This way, you know the machine is working in the best condition.
A necessary farm tool
It is also important to remember that ATV and UTVs have a place on farms. Many farmers and ranchers use ATVs to herd their cattle. Using an ATV can be a more practical option for the farmer as they can go places that a pickup cannot, but the operator must be paying attention to the terrain.
“Riding an ATV takes experience,” said Freeman. “The machine handles differently and therefore you should know how to properly shift your weight to turn the machine without rolling it. This is different than a car, so make sure you practice and gain experience before riding an ATV on rough of terrain.”
Most ATV injuries that occur happen within the youth population while they are riding for recreation. However, farmers and others who use these machines for work still need to pay attention to safety.
More information about ATV safety is available in the ISU Extension and Outreach publication Safe Farm: Promoting Agricultural Health and Safety.
