ATV safety is focus of Farm Bureau display, presentation

By Alex Carrier, Special Correspondent
Published: August 7, 2008

Names can be deceiving.  Consider the ATV (all terrain vehicle).  Riders are taking the name literally and finding themselves visiting emergency rooms in alarming numbers.
The better term for these work and recreation vehicles is off-road vehicles.  That was part of the message being delivered to visitors at Saturday’s Greene County Farmers’ Market.
The Greene County office of the Virginia Farm Bureau sponsored a safety display and presentation to get the word out that improper use of ATVs is dangerous and could be deadly.  According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 135,000 Americans are injured each year in ATV-related accidents and 30% of those injured are children. 
Part of the problem is people’s perception of ATV’s.  These mechanized vehicles are much like automobiles, motorcycles and trucks but without many of the safety features of those vehicles. ATV’s can weigh more than 700 pounds reach speed over 60 miles an hour and, like their cousins SUVs and other sports vehicles, can tip over easily if not handled properly.
“People are using ATVs where they shouldn’t and in ways they shouldn’t,” warns Jimmy Maass, Safety Coordinator for the Virginia Farm Bureau, who was on hand Saturday to tell people how to stay safe and still enjoy their ATVs.  “They don’t realize ATVs are not made to travel on paved roads.”
Maass leans over to demonstrate the softer texture of ATV tires while he points out the special construction of the tire which is made to travel on dirt and other off-road surfaces but not on the paved surfaces of public roads.
“Another problem is the size of the seat,” points out Maass.  “Because it is so big, people will ride tandem.  The seat is not made for more than one person.  It is big so the rider has plenty of room to move with the vehicle as it travels over uneven surfaces.”
Maass also showed off a variety of helmets and reminded people that all ATV riders should wear a helmet for safety.  Other points of the presentation included a warning about allowing children to ride unsupervised, the dangers of riding under the influence, and the need for every person who owns or rides an ATV to learn the proper way to ride safely.