Over the last five years, 70 percent of ATV and UTV fatal crashes involving operators or passengers under the age of 18 occurred on private lands, according to the Wisconsin DNR.
Lack of helmets, not using seatbelts in UTVs and inexperience are among the top factors in these crashes. Whether you’re riding around on the farm or the back forty, operate ATVs and UTVs responsibly.
“Parents and guardians need to stay alert and teach children to ride responsibly by making sure they wear helmets and seatbelts, take an ATV safety course and get mentorship from an experienced adult,” says Lt. Warden Jake Holsclaw, DNR Off-Highway Vehicle Administrator.
Crashes resulting in injury or fatality don’t only happen to kids. The same guidelines for helmet and seatbelt use also apply to adults. The DNR reminds adult riders to always ride sober.
Regardless of if a rider is an adult or a child, one of the best things ATV and UTV operators can do to stay safe is take an online safety course: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/Education/OutdoorSkills/safetyEducation
Wisconsin law requires every operator involved in a crash to report the incident without delay to law enforcement officials. In addition, within 10 days of the incident, the operator must submit a written report to the DNR.
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