Tips for Teaching Younger ATV Riders

An all-terrain vehicle is a fun way to blow off some steam and experience adrenaline. When looking to introduce your child or teen to this vehicle type for riding fun, it can cause some stress for any parent. While you want them to have fun, you want them to be safe and sound at the end of the day more than anything. Here are a few tips for teaching younger ATV riders to put your mind at ease while making sure they are ready to ride.

1. 1. Teach them safety first

   The best tips for teaching younger ATV riders are to teach them safety takes priority over fun. While riding is fun, it can quickly become dangerous and there is no denying that ATV accidents can be potentially life-threatening depending on the situation, especially with younger or inexperienced riders. They should have it drilled into their minds that riding without a helmet is never acceptable or even an option. This is one of the most important safety things to teach a new rider.

2. 2. Ride with them if possible

   Another of the best tips for teaching younger ATV riders is to try riding with them if possible. If you have a two-seater ATV, you can easily work with them to learn matters of driving such as maneuvering and control. If you can’t ride with them on the same ATV, you can still work alongside them, but riding is the best way to teach them to ride.

3. 3. Communicate the right way

   When teaching anyone a new skill, frustration can run high. If you notice your child or teen is getting frustrated, it is time to take a break since riding requires them to be level-headed in order to ride safely. When communicating, make sure you use a pleasant tone of voice, take time to explain the steps of riding, and take frequent breaks. It is a good idea to break up the riding lessons, so it isn’t all at once. This will help your nerves and their ability to remember information a little bit at a time.

4. 4. Break it down

   If you are teaching someone to ride, you might know what you mean by “shift to a lower gear,” but a new rider needs it broken down in simpler terms like, “bring it to a lower gear by tapping your toe on the shifter right here.” It is important to use simple words and break things down so a new rider can get their bearings and learn the right way to ride while also learning the terminology.