Children Are at Risk

Note to Parents: Is Your Child Ready To Ride an OHV?

Many states have laws specifying the minimum age at which a person may ride an OHV unsupervised. 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 OHV and reach the controls easily?
• Motor Skills: Is your child's coordination adequate for the challenge of riding an OHV?
• 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 OHV and make good decisions to drive responsibly and avoid accidents?

Your Role as a Parent

You will be your child's teacher and safety advisor; so you must be familiar with your youngster's OHV, including its controls, handling characteristics, maintenance requirements, and proper riding techniques.

Nationwide, children under the age of 16 account for 40% of OHV accidents and fatalities. Several factors contribute to this.

Physical Factors: A major cause of accidents among juvenile riders is riding a machine that's too large for them to handle physically. Small children can't maintain a proper riding position or control without increased risk of falling off or being thrown from the machine.

• Leg Length: When standing on the footrests, there should be a minimum of three inches of clearance between the seat and the top inseam of the pants. This clearance is required to maintain balance on the footrests when turning and riding over hills and rough terrain. 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 when the handle is extended fully in a turn.
  • Operate the brake lever. The first joint of the index finger should extend beyond the brake lever when the child grips the handlebar.
• Strength and Weight: In addition to reaching the controls, a child must have the strength to operate them properly. For example, a child should be able to squeeze a brake lever firmly during an emergency. Also, the child should have the strength and weight to keep from being thrown off the OHV on rough terrain.

Perceptual, Motor, and Maturity Factors: Children up to age 16 are at risk when operating OHVs because they:

• Perceive distances to be greater than what they actually are.
• Have a shorter attention span than adults.
• React more slowly than adults.
• Tend to believe that products purchased by their parents are safe.
• Take more risks—particularly males—and perceive less danger in those risks than adults.
• Get into trouble trying to imitate friends who show off new skills or stunts.
• Often believe a little experience makes them expert riders who know everything there is to know about OHVs. Parents must make the correct judgments when their children ignore obvious dangers, risks, and limitations.