Kid ATV riding, or entire family outings with ATV riding as part of the plan, can be a lot of fun for everyone including the kids. There is however a lot of things you need to know about kids and ATVs. Please take a moment to read this article in full. First some Kid ATV riding facts and a checklist. You are likely aware of most of the following ATV safety tips for kids already but please read this article in full again if your kid is going to ride an ATV.

According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission who keep records about ATV accidents and deaths, especially if a child is hurt, In 2003 kids accounted for a full 30 percent of the 740 ATV related deaths in the US. Over 90% of those deaths could have been prevented with some simple guidelines! Let me re-iterate that.  Over 200 kids died needlessly because their parents failed to follow recommended kid ATV safety precautions.

 This article isn’t being written to shock you, it’s intent is to inform you so that you can make better decisions. Your kids are worth it. I’ll also provide you with a list of the recommended ATVs on the market for kids just learning to ride but first here is the checklist…

Before your kid gets on an ATV you need to check all of the following. 

#1 – Properly sized riding gear is being worn including a helmet, goggles, chest protector, gloves, solid boots and knee/elbow pads. Also make sure there are no strings or dangling pieces of clothing such as a scarf being worn.

#2 – Properly sized ATV. Kids under 16 just aren’t capable of riding an adult ATV safely. Some will disagree of course but the facts speak for themselves. Of the kid atv deaths in 2003 a full 90% of those involved kids riding adult ATVs. An adult ATV can weigh up to 800 pounds and be much more powerful than a kid can handle. Just because a child has ridden an adult ATV dozens of times in the past without incident doesn’t mean that that same child will not have an accident on the next ride. A child on an over-sized or overpowered ATV is a recipe for disaster.

#3 – Training courses and proper permits. In some states it is mandatory for a child under 16 to pass an approved ATV riding course given by a qualified instructor before being allowed to ride. In other states its mandatory for the child’s parents to be directly supervising the child at all times and have passed a training course themselves. The laws are being enforced and are being tightened each year as more preventable accidents occur.

Of all the important things to know those three are tops on the list, but there is more.

#4 – Always have a mature attitude about riding when children are around, if they hear you talk about performing jumps or doing other risky things they are more likely to try it at some point.

#5 – Make sure the child is well rested, when kids get tired they don’t have the alertness and strength to avoid some accidents.

#6 – Leave all ATV restraints intact. Kid ATVs often have speed limiters and shutoff systems, use them!

#7 – No riding after dark, although adults need to be careful as well children are likely to be more seriously hurt in an accident and many accidents happen when visibility isn’t 100%.

#8 – Supervision and friends. Children shouldn’t ever ride alone and when riding with friends they need to be supervised by an adult at all times. Kids can and will act differently with other kids around when left unsupervised.

#9 – Children under 16 shouldn’t be on an ATV with someone else while riding, even if that someone else is an adult. Although it may seem harmless both the passenger and driver are at an increased risk of accident and injury by sharing. Kids need to avoid doubling up.

Kid ATV safety guidelines are being improved constantly in order to reduce the number of injuries and deaths. Here is a recent CPSC article on the subject. Saying you didn’t know won’t protect you and will not protect your child, read up!

Most major manufacturer of ATV has a model designed for children under 16 although some manufacturers will not sell an ATV to children under 12. Here are links to several of the more popular ATV manufacturers in the US. You can find a full list of dealers as well as up to date safety information from their official sites. Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Polaris. 

There are also many great places to learn more about ATV safety, training courses, warnings and statistics etc. Here are just a few of them. ATV Safety Institute, AtvSafety.gov and NSC.org. If you have any other good tips, or stories, please Share them in our ATV Forums.

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