Off-Road Basics—Youth on Wheels
Note to Parents: Is Your Child Ready To Ride an ORV?
 If
your child meets the age requirement, it’s your job
to assess whether he or she is truly ready to ride.
To make
an informed decision, you must consider several factors.
- Physical Development: Can your youngster sit comfortably
on the ORV and reach the controls easily?
- Motor Skills: Is your child’s coordination adequate
for the challenge of riding an ORV?
- Visual Perception: Does your child have good depth perception,
peripheral vision, and the ability to judge distances?
- Social/Emotional Maturity: Will your youngster understand
the risks involved in riding an ORV, make good decisions
to avoid accidents, and operate the ORV responsibly?
Choosing an Appropriate
ORV
For your child’s safety and comfort, it is recommended
that you match your child with an ORV of a size, type, and
engine size that is appropriate for his or her age group.
Please see Summary
of Young Operator Regulations.
Your Role as a Parent
You will be your child’s teacher and safety advisor,
so you must be familiar with your youngster’s ORV.
You will need to know the controls, handling characteristics,
maintenance requirements, and proper riding techniques.
Children Are at Risk
Nationwide, statistics show that children under the age of 16 account for 40% of ORV accidents and fatalities. Several factors contribute to this risk.
- Lack of Visual Adult Supervision
- Physical Factors: A major cause of accidents among juvenile riders is riding a machine that’s too large for them to handle physically.
- Leg Length: When a child stands on the footrests, the top inseam of the pants should be a minimum of three inches above the seat. While seated, the thigh should be roughly parallel to the ground.
- Foot Length: A child should be able to reach the brake by rotating the foot on the footrest.
- Arm Length: When seated on the machine, a child’s arms should be long enough to:
- Turn the handlebars and maintain a firm grip.
- Operate the throttle comfortably.
- Operate the brake lever.
- Strength: A child must have the strength to operate the controls properly.
- Perceptual, Motor, and Maturity Factors: Children up to age 16 are at risk when operating ORVs because they:
- Perceive distances to be greater than what they actually are.
- Have a shorter attention span than adults.
- React more slowly than adults.
- Take more risks—particularly males—and perceive less danger in those risks than adults.
- Try to imitate more complex maneuvers of parents or older friends.
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