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and kids licensed to ride ?e american academy of pediatrics discourages use of atvs by children or teens under the age of 16. karen ahmad of the alliance safety council is someone who has spent years on the issue, and she elaborates, ?children mature at different rates. young children simply do not have the strength, skill, coordination, reasoning, and judgement needed to safely operate an atv. furthermore, most parents overestimate their child?s maturity and physical capabilities, allowing them to be exposed to this activity at an early age.? kim goes on to share that some families in louisiana have the mindset of ?we?ve been riding all of our lives, nothing is going to happen to us.? and unfortunately, many people?especially children?aren?t aware of the damage something as simple as hitting a pothole could do while riding one of these. ?so many kids are riding these adult-sized atvs, and they are unsupervised. we are allowing children to operate them without licenses and without safety equipment,? kim notes. ?e all-terrain vehicle safety institute (asi), a nonprofit created to expand atv safety education and awareness, warns families that they should always follow the manufacturer?s minimum age recommendation warning label on the atv. ?ese stickers could say no riders
under the age of 16, 14, 12, 10, and six. for those who do reach the age requirement, asi still encourages families to always supervise riders who are younger than 16 because atvs are not toys. ?e nonprofit also provides a ?readiness checklist? to help you evaluate your young riders, and notes how important it is to evaluate your child as objectively as possible because his safety is at stake. ?e checklist helps to determine where your child is in terms of his physical development, visual perception/motor development, social/emotional development, and reasoning and decision-making ability. also, as a parent, knowing everything there is to know about atv safety is extremely important, not only for yourself, but for your child as well. riding safely just like taking driver?s ed to learn how to operate a car, taking an atv safety course to learn how to operate an atv is highly encouraged. many atv manufacturers offer free safety courses to those who have recently purchased an atv. asi also offers a free online course to make sure all riders are familiar with their machines and that they are taking the proper steps to insure their safety. when it comes to riding safely, one of the most important rules is to always supervise your riders. karen explains, ??ere is no substitute for competent adult supervision. adult supervision is necessary to insure that kids are not riding something too big and too fast, that they are using safety gear, that they are not riding double, and that they are not riding on roads.? atvs are designed to be operated off-road. asi encourages riders to never ride on paved roads because atvs are not designed for use on public roads, and other motorists may not see you. also, the pavement may seriously affect handling and control of the atv. dot-compliant helmets, goggles, long sleeves, long pants, over-the-ankle boots, and gloves should be worn at all times by the rider, and riders should never carry a passenger on a single-rider with them. bryan also encourages riders to ?become one with the machine? because knowing what your machine can, can?t, and shouldn?t do will also play a crucial role in your safety. and another important rule: ride at a safe speed. while bryan has had a long road to recovery and there are still things he struggles with, he remains positive throughout it all. bryan recently began practicing meditation, and he does his best to live his life to the fullest. when he looks in the mirror, he doesn?t see his flaws. instead, he encourages those who do to just be themselves because they will be accepted for who they are. for those who may be going through the same struggles, bryan encourages, ?stay strong and think positive. don?t look back, look forward.? ? the atv safet y institute?s golden rules always wear a dot-compliant helmet, goggles, long sleeves, long pants, over-the- ankle boots, and gloves. never ride on paved roads except to cross when done safely and permitted by law? another vehicle could hit you. atvs are designed to be operated off-highway. for more information, visit at vsafet y.org. never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs. never carry a passenger on a single-rider atv, and no more than one passenger on an atv specifically designed for two people. ride an atv that?s right for your age. supervise riders younger than 16; atvs are not toys. ride only on designated trails and at a safe speed. june 2017 | brparents.com 33
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