| The foundation, like I always tell my kids and friends | | | | all this is that, some parents are not observing the |
| with kids who love to ride ATVs, should always be | | | | rules themselves. |
| laid right. Without the right foundation, it's hard to | | | | If this might shake you up a little, do you know that |
| build a strong and sustainable structure on it. I am not | | | | many accidents related to ATV riding happen to kids |
| talking a building here but rather, I am referring to | | | | under the age of sixteen? Do you know that many |
| teaching the kids how to ride their ATVs right. The | | | | of the parents did not teach the kids about the |
| emphasis is on teaching the right rules when they're | | | | importance of wearing the right protective gears |
| young....when they're JUST starting out. In some | | | | when riding their ATVs simply because it's something |
| parts of the country, as I have come to understand, | | | | everyone does around there anyway? The |
| ride their ATVs like we ride a bicycle in other parts. | | | | importance of wearing a helmet when riding an ATV |
| It's normal and everyone does it, therefore, it's | | | | is elementary and although it's already an everyday |
| become a way of life. I think these little kids get on | | | | life habit, I think the mindset should be changed. If |
| and off their ATVs or worse, their parents ATVs | | | | this is not done, how are we to change the scary |
| without adult supervision! | | | | statistics? |
| Some of the kids don't wear even the most basic | | | | For instance, out of the 6000 ATV-related accidents, |
| protective gears...like a helmet. Don't be surprised | | | | 1/3 of them happened to kids under the age of |
| when you see that most of these kids ride their | | | | sixteen and what's even worse is that some of them |
| ATVs without a helmet because their parents don't | | | | were actually riding their parents or some other |
| wear them as well. Parents ought to educate their | | | | adult's ATV! Despite it being the norm, perhaps it's |
| kids about proper ATV riding gear the VERY | | | | time to change now. It's also extremely important to |
| MOMENT the kids start riding their quads. In fact, I | | | | hit them right from the start because it's harder to |
| would go as far as to say that we should tell the | | | | change a teenager who has been riding ATVs for as |
| kids about how helmets help protect their heads the | | | | long as he's known, than to teach a youngster how |
| very moment they SEE an ATV and expresses an | | | | to be responsible. |
| interest in owning and riding one. But the sad part of | | | | |