I have had the oppertunity to work with maybe 500+ 12-15 year old youth in preparing them to pass the ATV safety course so they can ride larger then 90cc quads here in Minnesota. I volunteer my time to assist with local ATV clubs in providing the written and demonstrated skills testing.

I know for a fact that:
1) 75% of these kids had no idea how to properly shift their body weight.
2) 50% needed assistance to back up into a area 50% larger then the quad they rode
3) 50% of the parents could not answer the question of how much the quad their kid was riding weighed or how fast it would go down the road.

I beleive we all learned something. And it was all worth the effort. Learning in a classroom sure beats the hard way.

Now - youth ATV safety training is NOT a cure all. The bad news - Two of my students are dead from ATV accidents and several have had serious accident injuries. The good news is two fold. 1) They knew what they were doing was wrong in advance and made educated choices - poorly, and 2) the largest percentage of youth have done just fine.

Nobody can do a whole lot about making bad decisions that you have been warned about. Given enough bad choices and the government will step in every time.

 

After reading that artical, I feel it's being promoted by another speacal interest group, that know's nothing about Atv's. And this Goverment will side with anyone that is throwing money their way. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] On the other hand I do see the concern.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] Around hear I see it all the time, Kid's riding on ATV's way to big for them, No protective gear, and not A parent in sight.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-shocked.gif[/img] I do not agree that everyone should be penalized by A Gov. law because A minor # of idiot's refuse to beleave that it won't happen to them.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/img] This is another case of our right's being stripped from all of us, By people that know nothing of the sport. And A few fool's that thank they are invenciable.