Each year more than 100,000 people will find their way to a hospital emergency room via an ATV or side-by-side accident. More than 500 will die. And of these accidents more than 25 percent of these victims will be younger than 16 years of age.
We can also anticipate that thousands of dollars will be spent trying to help these victims recuperate from injuries that will likely linger with them for the rest of their lives.
Wouldn’t it make some sense to spend a little money up front for rider protection accessories that could prevent or lessen the extent of the injuries? After all, we spend thousands for our toys … why not a few extra hundred for body armor to keep us safe?
At Dirt Toys Magazine, we realize that as with any form of recreation, there’s an inherent risk that comes with the activity. We like to ride fast, jump high, turn sharp and climb mountains. Our thrill comes from pushing our ability and machine to the limits. But we’re not stupid … and we certainly don’t want to end up in the horizontal position when the stretcher is being loaded in the ambulance.
So this is what we try to do to stay safe even when we’re pushing the edges.
First, we wear helmets. Keep in mind that the majority of accidents involve the machine flipping or rolling over. Even if you’re strapped in a side-by-side, your head tends to get whipped around. Those same role cages designed to keep you from getting crushed can still inflict some damage to your skull if your head whips into them.
We realize many riders desire to be one with nature, thus often opt out of wearing a helmet. Thus, if their face inadvertently becomes one with a rock … well, they end up eating their meals through a straw for the rest of their lives.
Helmets don’t have to be intrusive to your nature experience. We’ve found something like the Motorfist Alpha Helmet is light, comfortable and can represent a crucial barrier between your head and something a little bit harder. The carbon shell and Composite Fusion Three Technology weigh just more than 2 lbs. so it’s not going to cause neck fatigue during a long ride. Klim’s F3 Helmet and Fly Trekker Helmet also feature plenty of comfort and protection.
Along with head protection, don’t forget eye protection. Besides dust, there are lots of things flying past your face during a ride that could do some serious damage to your eyes. Goggles can go a long way in not only protecting your eyes but also enhancing your riding experience.
Another often overlooked safety feature is a good riding jersey. Sometimes we look at physical features such as rocks and tree branches as a danger to the driver and we overlook the elephant in the room—the sun. A good jersey not only protects you from wind and cold, but also from harmful sun rays and potential sunburn.
Although most motorsports clothing companies provide functional jerseys, we have become very fond of the Fly Universal Jersey for protection from the elements.
Following head trauma, neck and back injuries are high on the list of injuries sustained by motorized recreationists. Being strapped in is the best way of preventing these injuries on a side-by-side. But on an ATV the greatest protection comes from chest protectors and kidney belts. EVS and Tek Vest make a variety of chest protection that may make a difference between a serious back injury or just a bruise. And the cost difference between a $100 investment and potential medical bills could be thousands of dollars.
Let’s not forget that shoulder, elbow, knee and shin protection can go a long way to preventing the other leading types of injuries—broken bones.
Finally, an overlooked item that serves multiple purposes is the glove. Not only does a good riding glove like the Fly Media give you a better handle on the steering, it also offers protection from branches, bushes or flying objects dislodged by other vehicles. And they also provide warmth on those brisk days. We’ve also found that Klim and Motorfist make some great gloves for riding.
Just before this deadline, we picked up a set of Motorfist’s newest clothing for dirt riders, the Pilot jacket and pant, along with a nice new jersey and gloves. We will be riding in/testing this gear all summer, so watch for a review later this year.
On a side note, the majority of ATV and side-by-side injuries occur on roads. Just because the surface is relatively flat doesn’t make it safer. In fact, the opposite may be true.
And for ATVs, there is a high rate of injuries that occur when multiple passengers are riding a single passenger vehicle. If you’re doubling up, maybe you should consider a side-by-side or purchasing a second ATV.
Although all these safety precautions will not eliminate all accidents or injuries, they will certainly reduce the severity of the injury. Also, we’ve found that when riders take the time to gear up, it’s one more reminder to them that this sport does come with risk and they should ride within their ability.
We never want to discourage anyone from experiencing nature at its finest. We just want to make sure that your next ride won’t be your last one.
