Irvine, CA - The ATV Safety Institute hosted its first-ever
Autumn ATV Safety Week event last week near Washington, D.C. and Baltimore,
giving national media outlets the opportunity to experience the nationally
recognized, hands-on ATV RiderCourse and speak with key staff members.
ASI instructors and ASI Executive Vice President Paul
Vitrano were on hand with several ATVs, two riding ranges and a scenic trail
located on the green rolling hills of a small farm in Sykesville, MD. Joining
national media outlets were a local father and his two daughters, demonstrating
a pair of age-specific, youth-model ATVs.
"The ASI looks forward to making this an annual
safety-promoting event, and to instituting a yearly Spring ATV Safety Week as
well, delivering key safety messages at times of the year when ATV sales and
riding traditionally go up," said Vitrano. "ATV Safety Week will
further the ASI's primary goal of promoting the safe and responsible use of
ATVs, thereby reducing crashes and injuries that result from improper operation
by the rider."
This is the latest in a number of public awareness
initiatives conducted by ASI since 1988.
The ASI launched this week-long campaign as yet another
opportunity to spread ASI member company safety messages to existing and
potential ATV riders through national and local media outlets. In addition to the
RiderCourse, the ASI is mounting a multi-faceted, social media outreach that
will highlight the importance of taking the ATV RiderCourse,
the ASI's free online eCourse and the ASI's Golden Rules of ATV Riding, with links to ATV safety videos, PSAs and collateral, links to ASI's Do
The Ride Thing" contest submission videos and more.
The ASI looks forward to making this an annual
safety-promoting event, and to instituting a yearly Spring ATV Safety Week as
well, with the idea of delivering key safety messages at times of the year when
ATV sales and riding traditionally go up. This is the latest in a number of
public awareness initiatives conducted by the ASI going back to 1988.
"Experiencing the 16 exercises of the
ASI RiderCourse under the guidance of highly experienced licensed
instructors provides a first-hand perspective about the importance of making
your first ride an ASI RiderCourse and to make the right choices when
out on the trails," Vitrano said. "It was great to have our guests go
from being somewhat apprehensive to having fun on the ATVs, after getting the
proper safety instruction. We hope to provide the hands-on experience of the
ASI ATV RiderCourseto as many mainstream media as we can to help spread
the word about the importance of training."
The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America promotes the safe
and responsible use of all-terrain vehicles through rider training, public
awareness campaigns and state legislation. Additionally, the SVIA works to
preserve access to off-road lands and expand riding opportunities. The SVIA is
a resource for ATV research, statistics and vehicle standards. Accredited by
the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the SVIA develops standards
for the equipment, configuration and performance requirements of ATVs.
Based in Irvine, Calif., the SVIA is a not-for-profit industry association
sponsored by Arctic Cat, BRP, Honda, Kawasaki,
KYMCO, Polaris, Suzuki and Yamaha. Visit the SVIA online at www.svia.org. For safety
information or to enroll in the ATV RiderCourse nearest you,
visit www.atvsafety.org or call (800) 887-2887.
The All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute develops rider
training programs and promotes the safe and responsible use of ATVs. The ASI
works to reduce crashes and injuries resulting from improper ATV use. Formed in
1988, the ASI is a not-for-profit division of the Specialty Vehicle Institute
of America.
