David E. Baker and Rusty Lee
University of Minnesota Extension Service
Since
their introduction, the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)
has increased dramatically each year. In addition to widespread
recreational use, the agricultural sector has realized the
value of the ATV as a workhorse. Unfortunately, fatalities
and injuries involving ATVs are occurring at an alarming rate.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in 1990,
the latest year for which statistics are available, 239 people
died and 51,700 were injured in ATV-related accidents in the
United States. Many of these needless accidents could have
been prevented by knowing and following a few steps for safe
ATV use.
The
nature of ATV riding demands that you wear protective clothing.
Knowing what to wear and how to wear it can reduce the chance
of an injury and make you more comfortable when you ride.
The
following protective gear should be worn every time you ride
an ATV:
- Helmet
- Your helmet is the most important piece of protective
gear for safe riding. A helmet can help prevent a serious
head injury. Selecting the right helmet is important and
easy if a few basic tips are kept in mind. Select a helmet
that bears the label of either the Department of Transportation,
the American National Standards Institute or the Snell Memorial
Foundation. The helmet should fit snugly and be securely
fastened. Full-face helmets protect your face as well as
yo r head. Open-face types are lighter and cooler, but should
be used with a chin guard that will offer chin and mouth
protection.
- Eye
protection - Eye protection is a must. If an object
hits you in the face, such as a rock, branch or even a bug,
it will distract you and may cause blindness if it hits
you in the eyes. Regular sunglasses do not provide adequate
protection. The helmet's face shield or a pair of riding
goggles will protect your eyes properly. Select well-ventilated
goggles that can be securely fastened and are free from
scratches.
- Gloves
- Gloves provide protection from abrasions and help to keep
your hands from getting sore, tired or cold. Off-road style
motorcycle gloves provide a good combination of protection
and comfort.
- Boots
- At a minimum, riders should wear a pair of boots that
lace above the ankle for ankle support, with low heels to
help prevent the boot from slipping off the footrests.
- Shirt
and pants - At a minimum, a long-sleeved shirt and long
pants should be worn to reduce abrasions on the body.
Inspecting
the mechanical condition of your ATV before each day's use is
important for minimizing the chances of injury or becoming stranded.
The fact that you can ride farther in an hour than you can walk
in a day emphasizes the need to maintain your ATV in peak operational
form. The owner's manual should be used to ensure proper understanding
of all critical points on your machine.
Check
the following components before using your ATV:
- Tires
- Always maintain the recommended tire pressure consistently
in each tire. If the tires on your ATV have unequal pressure,
the ATV will pull toward the tire with the least air pressure.
Most automotive tire pressure gauges will not accurately
measure the low pressure typically used in ATV tires. A
gauge designed for low pressure should be used. Wheel lug
nuts should be checked to make sure they are tight. Grasp
each tire at the front and rear, then try to rock the tire
on its axle to check for worn-out axle bearings and loose
nuts. Always use a torque wrench while following the tightening
procedures and specifications for all fasteners outlined
in your operator's manual.
- Throttle
- Check throttle operation while moving the handlebars fully
to the left and then fully to the right. An accumulation
of mud and dirt can restrict cable movement and prevent
the throttle from closing.
- Brakes
- Your brakes are a crucial part of riding and they must
always be in top condition. Make sure they work smoothly
and that they are in adjustment according to the instructions
in the owner's manual.
- Light
and switches - Be sure all lights are working. Check
engine stop switches by switching them off and on during
the warm-up period.
- Oil
and fuel - Check the oil and fuel with the engine off.
Look for fuel or oil leaks.
- Drivetrain
and chassis - Inspect your chain for proper adjustment,
adequate lubrication and signs of wear. If your ATV is equipped
with a drive shaft rather than a chain, check for oil leaks
and maintain its oil supply as outlined in your owner's
manual. Rough terrain will loosen chassis parts. Look and
feel for loose parts while the engine is off. Shake handlebars,
footrests and other similar components before each ride,
and periodically check major fasteners with a wrench. The
operator's manual should be read and understood before attempting
to operate your ATV. It will contain specifications and
procedures that apply directly to your model and should
be considered as the final authority for safe operation
of your ATV. Such information may include tire inflation
pressures, torque specifications for fasteners, oil types
and service intervals, battery maintenance, or brake adjustment
and service.
Turns
Most ATVs have solid rear axles, which turn each of the rear wheels at the same speed. This requires special turning skills, which primarily involve shifting your body weight. Low-speed turns require that you shift your body weight forward and to the outside of the turn as you turn the handlebar. The objective is to reduce weight on the inside rear wheel. For turns at higher speeds, you must lean your upper body toward the inside of the turn while keeping your weight on the outer footrest. T is balances the higher cornering forces as vehicle speed increases. If your ATV starts tipping during a turn at any speed, lean your upper body farther into the turn while gradually reducing the throttle and making the turn wider (see Figure 1).
Braking
Begin the
braking process by releasing the throttle and shifting to a
lower gear well in advance of the intended stopping point. With
this method, the engine helps to slow your ATV. Applying brakes
smoothly and evenly will bring your ATV to its quickest stop.
Apply brakes lightly on slippery surfaces. When descending a
hill, shift to a lower gear for engine braking rather than riding
the brakes for an extended period of time.
Climbing
The first rule to remember is to stay off hills too steep for
your ability or that of your ATV. When approaching a hill, you
should keep both feet firmly on the footrests and shift your
body weight forward by sliding forward on the seat. For steep
hills, stand on the footrests and lean forward to shift as much
weight forward as possible. To reduce the chance of stalling
the engine, climb hills in a low gear. If the engine does stall,
you must apply the brakes before the forward motion stops. I
your ATV stalls and then rolls backward, apply brakes slowly.
Rapidly applying brakes during a backward roll can cause a rear
overturn (see Figure 2).
Descending
Before descending
a hill, you should shift the transmission into a low gear and
point the ATV directly downhill. Keep both feet firmly on the
footrests and slide back on the seat to increase your stability
and the effectiveness of the brakes (see Figure 3).
Riding
across slopes
Avoid crossing
steep slopes and slopes where there is slippery or bumpy terrain.
If you do ride across slopes, keep both feet firmly on the footrests
and lean your body uphill. If the ATV begins to tip, turn the
front wheels downhill. If the terrain prohibits your turning
downhill, dismount on the uphill side immediately (see Figure
4).
Additional
equipment
Many operators
are taking advantage of the additional equipment available to
increase the uses of their ATVs. This equipment can be divided
into two categories: that which is rigidly mounted on the ATV
and pull-type equipment that is towed by the ATV's drawbar.
While this equipment can increase your machine's uses, it imposes
some new operating restrictions that must be followed for safe
operation.
Rigid mount equipment is usually bolted to the front or rear
of the machine and includes luggage racks to transport feed
or supplies, broadcast seeders and wick applicators for chemical
weed control. This type of mounting places the entire weight
burden on your ATV. You should realize that this will have
a significant impact on the weight and balance of your machine.
The center of gravity may be moved to a position of lessened
stability. Mounting on the front can make steering more difficult
nd decrease traction on the rear wheels. Mounting on the rear
can increase the chance of a rear overturn. Either mounting
can increase the chance of a side overturn and requires added
caution when operating on level as well as sloped ground.
Pull-type
equipment attached to the drawbar varies from a wagon of firewood
to a row-crop sprayer. This type of mounting also has an effect
on an ATV's stability. As the amount of drawbar pull required
for the load increases, so does the tendency for the front
end of the ATV to rise. Caution should be used not to expect
more from your ATV than it can safely provide.
Whenever
equipment is added, counterweights can be used to offset the
load and improve the new balance of your machine. Be careful
not to exceed the weight limitations set forth by the ATV
manufacturer. Remember, just because your ATV can pull a heavy
load does not mean it can safely stop it.
Additional equipment may also require additional protective
gear for the operator. Examples of this include protection
from objects thrown by a mower and chemical protection from
the drift of sprayers.
For
more information on equipment towing considerations and chemical
protection devices, see MU publications MO008, Personal Protective
Equipment for Working with Pesticides, and AS247, Safe Tractor
Operation.
The
majority of ATV accidents involve either young riders, alcohol,
passengers, or the use of ATVs on public roads. As a result,
the state of Missouri has passed legislation that specifically
regulates where and how ATVs can be operated.
Operator
age
The Missouri
Public Safety Department estimates that in an average year,
44 percent of the ATV accidental death toll involves children
under 16 years of age; 20 percent of the fatalities are children
under 12. Under the new state legislation, a person under 16
can legally operate an ATV but must be under adult supervision
while on land owned by anyone other than the parent or guardian.
Parents should remember that while not all children are the
same, those under 12 are typically lack the physical size and
strength, cognitive abilities and motor skills needed to safely
operate any size of ATV.
Public
highways
Operation
of ATVs is prohibited on Missouri highways. Exceptions to this
rule include ATVs owned by a government entity, held for official
use, or operated for agricultural purposes between sunrise and
sunset. The governing body of each city and county also may
issue special permits to licensed drivers for special use of
ATVs on city streets or county roads. All operators of any ATV
being used on a public roadway must have a valid driver's license.
Passengers
No ATV shall
carry a passenger except when being used for agricultural purposes.
Alcohol
No person
shall operate an ATV while under the influence of alcohol.
Four
major U.S. ATV distributors (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha)
established the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA)
in 1983 to promote the safe and responsible use of ATVs. In
1988, the SVIA formed a new division, the ATV Safety Institute
(ASI), to expand the availability of their ATV RiderCourse.
ASI
offers a free training course to individuals who purchased
a new ATV after December 31, 1986. The free training also
is available to all members of the purchaser's immediate family
who are in the recommended age group for the ATV purchased.
The ATV RiderCourse is a one-day, hands-on safety training
program. The training includes pre-ride inspections, starting
and stopping, turning, operation on hills, emergency stopping
and swerving, and riding over obstacles. It also covers protective
riding gear, environmental concerns, local laws, and safety
techniques. The training course is taught by certified instructors
at hundreds of locations across the United States.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent
NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission
of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
This
document is
G1936
,
a series of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, University
of Missouri-Columbia. If you have special needs as addressed
by the Americans with Disabilities Act and need this publication
in an alternative format, write ADA Officer, Extension and Agricultural
Information, 1-98 Agriculture Building, Columbia, MO 65211,
or call (314) 882-8237. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate
your special needs. Publication date: January 1994.
Funding
for this publication was provided by the University of Missouri-Columbia/National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Cooperative Agricultural
Promotions Agreement U05/CCU706084-01.
Portions
of this publication are reprinted with copyright permission
of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America.
David
E. Baker and Rusty Lee. Department of Agricultural Engineering,
University Extension, University of Missouri and Lincoln University,
Columbia, MO 65211.
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